Early conclusion: Britons would prefer to work only four days a week.
(Photo: Moment/Getty Images)
London “Dad is mine on Saturdays.” That was the motto used to advertise the five-day week in Germany in the 1950s. If the “4 Day Week Global” initiative has its way, Friday will soon be added. A recently published study in Great Britain has shown that not only are most of the 3,000 employees involved happier with a four-day week, but that the vast majority of the 61 participating companies want to stick with it. Joe Ryle, director of 4 Day Week Global, spoke of a “breakthrough” for the idea.
“We will definitely continue the pilot project,” reports Anne-Marie Imafidon, head of the British consulting firm Stemettes, which helps women with their career planning. The 32-year-old is certain that larger companies than her agency with 21 employees can make the jump to a four-day week. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” Imafidon told the BBC.
A total of 61 companies from the education, banking, IT services and retail sectors have taken part in the six-month pilot in the UK since June 2022. 18 companies want to keep the reduction in working hours permanently. 38 other companies at least want to continue the project.
The implementation of the four-day week with full wage compensation took place in different ways: Some companies gave Fridays off, others chose a flexible distribution of working hours throughout the week. For example, the staff at the scientific association Royal Society of Biology worked eight hours on four days instead of seven hours on five days. A “Fish and Chips” restaurant changed its shift work: after two working days, two days of free time followed.
The workers reported less stress and burnout symptoms due to the shorter working hours. The number of sick leave also fell. Almost two-thirds of employees said the four-day week improved their “work-life balance.” “Most said they had more time for activities they enjoy anyway,” the study says. However, a few participants also used their fifth day for further professional training.
Workers increased their own productivity
Firms reported higher revenues without a loss in productivity. The higher level of job satisfaction also meant that fluctuation fell by half. “Before the study, many questioned whether the increase in productivity would offset the reduction in working hours. But that’s exactly what we found,” emphasized Brendan Burchell.
The sociologist from the University of Cambridge provided academic support for the pilot project. Many employees have tried on their own initiative to use their shorter working hours more productively, for example by significantly reducing conference times.
According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), critics counter that the advances in productivity are not permanent and a four-day week is not suitable for many industries, but also for many employees. In addition, labor costs would increase.
According to a 2021 survey by recruitment agency Reeds, around 80 per cent of workers in the UK would prefer a four-day week. According to a study by the opinion research institute Yougov from 2019, two-thirds of employees in the USA would rather work ten hours on four days than eight hours on five days. The shortened working week is not all that new there: since the 1970s, the number of employees working a four-day week has tripled by eight million.
More: This column could have been a meeting