100 companies in the UK switch to a four-day week

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The idea of the four-day week has gained considerable momentum in recent years, with an increasing number of businesses and organisations around the world experimenting with and permanently moving to a four-day work week of around 32 hours, without reducing employees’ pay.

Most of these businesses and organisations have found that the four-day week is a win-win for both employees and employers, as it leads to a better work-life balance, lower stress levels and increased productivity. The four-day work week is being advocated for by trade unions across Europe and various countries are considering implementing it.

The latest country to adopt the system is the UK, where 100 companies have signed up to a permanent four-day working week for all employees, without cutting wages. The new working pattern is expected to benefit roughly 2,600 employees, with Atom Bank and global marketing firm Awin, both of which employ about 450 people in the UK, being the two biggest signatories.

Adam Ross, Awin’s chief executive, said adopting the four-day week was “one of the most transformative initiatives we’ve seen in the history of the company.”

“Over the course of the last year and a half, we have not only seen a tremendous increase in employee wellness and wellbeing but concurrently, our customer service and relations, as well as talent relations and retention also have benefited.”

Adam Ross

As per TheGuardian, UK is also coordinating the world’s biggest pilot scheme, a six-month experiment involving more than 3,300 employees from 70 businesses and charities, to adopt the four-day week in a trial with researchers at the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford, Boston college and thinktank Autonomy. 95 per cent of these companies said in a survey conducted in September, that productivity has improved or stayed the same and 88 per cent have said the trial was working “well” for their business.

Joe Ryle, the UK campaign’s director, said for the outlet: “We want to see a four-day week with no loss of pay become the normal way of working in this country by the end of the decade so we are aiming to sign up many more companies over the next few years.”

 “With many businesses struggling to afford 10% inflation pay rises, we’re starting to see increasing evidence that a four-day week with no loss of pay is being offered as an alternative solution,” he added.

Source: theguardian.com