UK firms adopt 4-day week after successful trial
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — A new study reveals that most companies in the United Kingdom participating in a six-month trial of a four-day workweek in 2022 have made it permanent.
The research, conducted by think tank Autonomy, found that of the 61 companies in the trial, 89% still have a four-day week policy in place one year later. Over half, or 51%, have formally made the shortened week permanent.
The companies involved spanned a range of industries, including marketing/advertising, arts/entertainment, finance, healthcare, manufacturing, social work, architecture, and professional services, among others.
On average, they reduced employee working hours by 6.6 hours to reach an average 31.6-hour week, usually through an additional day off.
The study found overwhelmingly positive impacts from the four-day week, with 55% of managers rating it as very helpful for their organization. Benefits cited included 82% reporting positive effects on staff wellbeing, 50% reducing staff turnover, and 32% improving recruitment.
Employees also reported it benefited their personal lives (96%), made them perform better at work (86%), and reduced their stress levels (41%).
🚨 NEW – 'Making It Stick: The UK Four-Day Week Pilot One Year On' 🚨
Our new follow-up study shows that 1 year on from our groundbreaking #4dayweek pilot, participating companies have found significant & lasting success 📈
Thread of key findings 👇 https://t.co/WPvqbIIBSm pic.twitter.com/iFcZYo154j
— The Autonomy Institute (@Autonomy_Inst) February 21, 2024
Some challenges were working with external stakeholders on different schedules and uneven implementation between teams. Keys to success were clear communication of the policy, co-design between staff and management, and adapting work processes.
“In this study, it has been clear the four-day week is not just a flash in the pan: companies around the UK have successfully been ‘making it stick’. As a result, we look forward to more and more organizations bringing the benefits of shorter working hours to their workplaces,” the report said.
Aside from the UK, Germany also launched a major six-month trial of a four-day workweek across 45 companies, allowing employees to work one less day per week on full pay.
Around 31% of European employees are willing to move to another country just to have a four-day workweek, according to strategic insight agency Opinium Europe.
Although no country has fully adopted a four-day workweek, some are experimenting with the arrangement, including the United States, Australia, and Japan, among others, according to 4dayweek.io.
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