4 Day Week: work less to do more?

Would you prefer a 4 day work week? 92% of the UK companies in a recent UK trial saw positive results and will continue to work a reduced number of days. Employees reported lower stress and more positive mental and physical well-being. The companies generally saw productivity stay the same or improve, with the wins for them in lower sick days taken, higher employee loyalty and retention. In countries struggling to recruit (post Covid and UK Brexit) this could be a dramatic differentiator. Would you be tempted? Why or why not?

There’s clearly something to this line to thinking. Similar trials have been run in the US, Canada, Spain and are in the pipeline in Australia and Brazil. Brand giant Unilever trialled it in New Zealand. So what’s behind this seemingly radical change? In the age of modern working - remotely, globally, flexibly - employees have more freedom than ever before. The ‘needs-must’ work approach of the Covid pandemic did prove in many sectors that productivity and innovation did not unduly suffer by working outside of conventional models. But importantly, the turbulence of recent times seems to have empowered employees to ask for more, and expect more, from their employees. Retaining great employees in a time of choice and more dynamic working does mean thinking outside of the box. This trial offers an option, that while revolutionary to some, has demonstrated tangible positive benefits. Having more productive employees means greater work yield. Having happier people should translate into better work relationships and collaboration, and hopefully pave the way for greater innovation. Certainly a healthier workforce reduces costs as well as yield so that’s an obvious win. However the greatest gain is probably in retention: keeping people longer because they are happy is likely to result in reduced recruitment cost and training of new people. A point to consider here is that lower employee churn could result in a more limited injection of fresh ideas and expertise so strategic recruitment balanced with growth and development opportunities would be important.

This was a limited trial so we should keep an open mind and learn more from further data, including tests of larger organisations in more countries. But certainly food for thought for the modern organisation in the meantime.

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