Majority of 4 Day Work Week Pilot Companies Will Continue With Scheme

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21 February 2023

The world’s largest 4 day working week trial has published its pilot results, with 91 per cent definitely continuing or planning to continue with the scheme.

Over 60 companies and almost 3,000 workers completed a six-month trial of a 4 day week, with no loss of pay for workers.

91 per cent will definitely continue or planning to continue with a 4 day week, and a further 4 per cent are leaning towards continuing. Only 4 per cent of participants are definitely not continuing.

Revenue Rose by 35%

Companies rated their overall experience of the trials an average of 8.5/10, with business productivity and business performance each scoring 7.5/10. Revenue rose by 35 per cent over the trial periods when compared to similar periods from the previous year, and hiring increased while absenteeism decreased.

The health and well-being of employees also improved, with significant increases observed in physical and mental health, time spent exercising, and overall life and job satisfaction. Rates of stress, burnout and fatigue all fell, while problems with sleep declined.

Environmental outcomes were also encouraging, with commuting time falling across the full sample by a half hour per week.

Lead researcher, Professor Juliet Schor of Boston College said: We found that employees in non-profits and professional services had a larger average increase in time spent exercising, while those in construction/manufacturing enjoyed the largest reductions in burnout and sleep problems,” she said.

Ensuring Employees Don't "Overwork" on 4 Day Weeks

Peter Cheese, Chief Executive at the CIPD, said: “It’s fantastic to see companies exploring different patterns and ways of working as we navigate a changing world of work.

“The challenge will be in ensuring fairness, making sure people aren’t overworked on the days they are working, and ensuring productivity can be matched or bettered by working fewer hours. This will mean organisations understanding the people management practices and investments in technology that together will enable employees to work smarter rather than harder.”

Picture: a photograph of a tablet showing a year's calendar view. A notebook and pen and PC keyboard can also be seen on a desk. Image Credit: Pexels

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 21 February 2023

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