Latest news with #4DayWeekFoundation
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
People who work four days a week are actually getting more done, experts say
You're probably reading this at the start of your weekend. But now imagine that weekend had started a day earlier... and did so every week. Sound good? That could be the new reality many companies, and employees, face in the future, after the four-day business week took another step towards implementation in the UK. This year, 17 businesses of different types have been trialling the move, organised by the 4 Day Week Foundation. Almost 1,000 different employees were involved, all retaining their normal salary - and after the culmination of that study, all 17 companies have opted to keep going, following an earlier trial which saw 5,000 people adopt the scheme permanently. Not all are doing straight four-day weeks. Some were trialling nine-day fortnights. And there are clearly some industries which would face challenges to alter schedules and regulations. But the initial results for those taking part appeared positive, with nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) of employees saying they noted a 'reduction in how often they experienced burnout'. Firms who took part in the trial have cited customer satisfaction and employee performance as reasons for continuing, with one expecting mass adoption across the next decade. Vicky Walker, chief people officer at Westfield Health, told The Independent that less work has shown to mean more output. 'Studies have shown that a shorter work week can lead to enhanced efficiency and focus among employees. People may be more motivated to complete their tasks and increase productivity. There's now a growing recognition for flexibility and work-life balance and this trial is a step in the right direction,' Ms Walker said. 'These flexible benefits can also help attract new talent and improve employee retention rates, which for some businesses, is a key business target.' There is, however, much more to consider for employers and the wider economy, before we see it adopted on a larger scale. 'Ultimately, what matters for the economy is hours worked multiplied by productivity per hour. If people are simply working their weekly hours in four days rather than five, then there should be little economic impact. If they are working harder - fewer hours for the same output - then we could see an uptick in productivity, but that wouldn't necessarily translate into growth because of fewer hours,' Thomas Pugh, chief economist at RSM UK, told The Independent. This is essentially the French model of the system, Mr Pugh explained - but success in it will naturally lead to businesses asking one pertinent question: 'If you can be as productive in four days as in five, then why not be as productive over the full five days?' There also remain questions over the potential for staggered days off - 'Do people want Wednesdays off, for example?' - and of course whether a firm's opening hours would still match up to those of their clients. It's not a 'solution to the UK's economic problems', Mr Pugh added. Andrew Timpson, a tax partner at RSM, pointed out there would be implications if reduced hours meant reduced pay - and not just for the Treasury. 'If base pay is reduced, there could be an impact on salary sacrifice and pensions,' he said, 'plus if employees are earning less then the tax take will reduce. Some employees may also find themselves slipping under thresholds which will change the personal allowance, or other aspects such as child benefit.' The discussion outside of finance has also taken centre stage. A study by BHN Extras recently concluded over a third of UK workers (34 per cent) said they would accept a pay cut for a shorter commute and only 23 per cent enjoyed their commute. The survey suggested both the cost and the sentiment was stronger in London, but would knocking a day off the commute into work be a big draw for all? It won't be one for everybody, nor every business. Implementation costs and rescheduling alone may make it prohibitive, while there's no doubt that some management may not appreciate the thought of it, let alone the reality. But just like working from home, hot-desking and zero-hours contracts before it, the four-day week looks set to play some part in the future of UK business - and like all those others, divide plenty of opinion on the way. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
The Independent
05-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
People who work four days a week are actually getting more done, experts say
You're probably reading this at the start of your weekend. But now imagine that weekend had started a day earlier... and did so every week. Sound good? That could be the new reality many companies, and employees, face in the future, after the four-day business week took another step towards implementation in the UK. This year, 17 businesses of different types have been trialling the move, organised by the 4 Day Week Foundation. Almost 1,000 different employees were involved, all retaining their normal salary - and after the culmination of that study, all 17 companies have opted to keep going, following an earlier trial which saw 5,000 people adopt the scheme permanently. Not all are doing straight four-day weeks. Some were trialling nine-day fortnights. And there are clearly some industries which would face challenges to alter schedules and regulations. But the initial results for those taking part appeared positive, with nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) of employees saying they noted a 'reduction in how often they experienced burnout'. Firms who took part in the trial have cited customer satisfaction and employee performance as reasons for continuing, with one expecting mass adoption across the next decade. Vicky Walker, chief people officer at Westfield Health, told The Independent that less work has shown to mean more output. 'Studies have shown that a shorter work week can lead to enhanced efficiency and focus among employees. People may be more motivated to complete their tasks and increase productivity. There's now a growing recognition for flexibility and work-life balance and this trial is a step in the right direction,' Ms Walker said. 'These flexible benefits can also help attract new talent and improve employee retention rates, which for some businesses, is a key business target.' There is, however, much more to consider for employers and the wider economy, before we see it adopted on a larger scale. 'Ultimately, what matters for the economy is hours worked multiplied by productivity per hour. If people are simply working their weekly hours in four days rather than five, then there should be little economic impact. If they are working harder - fewer hours for the same output - then we could see an uptick in productivity, but that wouldn't necessarily translate into growth because of fewer hours,' Thomas Pugh, chief economist at RSM UK, told The Independent. This is essentially the French model of the system, Mr Pugh explained - but success in it will naturally lead to businesses asking one pertinent question: 'If you can be as productive in four days as in five, then why not be as productive over the full five days?' There also remain questions over the potential for staggered days off - 'Do people want Wednesdays off, for example?' - and of course whether a firm's opening hours would still match up to those of their clients. It's not a 'solution to the UK's economic problems', Mr Pugh added. Andrew Timpson, a tax partner at RSM, pointed out there would be implications if reduced hours meant reduced pay - and not just for the Treasury. 'If base pay is reduced, there could be an impact on salary sacrifice and pensions,' he said, 'plus if employees are earning less then the tax take will reduce. Some employees may also find themselves slipping under thresholds which will change the personal allowance, or other aspects such as child benefit.' The discussion outside of finance has also taken centre stage. A study by BHN Extras recently concluded over a third of UK workers (34 per cent) said they would accept a pay cut for a shorter commute and only 23 per cent enjoyed their commute. The survey suggested both the cost and the sentiment was stronger in London, but would knocking a day off the commute into work be a big draw for all? It won't be one for everybody, nor every business. Implementation costs and rescheduling alone may make it prohibitive, while there's no doubt that some management may not appreciate the thought of it, let alone the reality. But just like working from home, hot-desking and zero-hours contracts before it, the four-day week looks set to play some part in the future of UK business - and like all those others, divide plenty of opinion on the way.
Wales Online
03-07-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
4-day working week brought in at Welsh company employing hundreds of staff
4-day working week brought in at Welsh company employing hundreds of staff It's one of 17 companies which took part in a national trial to test a four-day working week with no increase in hours or reduction in pay Bron Afon in Cwmbran has successfully completed a four-day working week trial (Image: Google Maps ) A Welsh company has confirmed its plans to continue with a four-day working week, following the success of a national trial. Housing association, Bron Afon, was one of 17 companies to take part in a six-month pilot, which concluded with all participants opting to extend the shorter working week. The trial, which began in November, 2024, was organised by the 4 Day Week Foundation and involved nearly 1,000 workers across a range of industries. The aim was to test whether reducing the traditional working week from five days to four would impact productivity and employee wellbeing. Bron Afon, which boasts a workforce of around 400, claimed the results had been overwhelmingly positive. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here The Cwmbran-based organisation shared that it had been able to maintain its performance and customer satisfaction, while also seeing significant benefits for its employees. Alan Brunt, chief executive of Bron Afon Community Housing, said: "Almost as soon as we started talking about it, our teams got together to set about making it work which was brilliant. Article continues below "We've closely monitored our performance and customer satisfaction. We're happy with the results so far and will continue to make sure we're delivering for our customers." Nearly two-thirds of workers across all companies involved in the trial reported a reduction in burnout, with 40% saying they had seen improvements in their mental health, while almost half said they felt more satisfied with life overall. Following the 100% success rate, director of 4 Day Week Foundation, Joe Ryle, commented: "With greater knowledge, expertise and experience of what it takes to successfully implement a four-day week, we're really pleased to see such a high success rate. "People are happier, businesses are thriving, and there's no turning back. "We've proved it again and again: a four-day week works and should now be implemented more widely across the economy." Having seen the benefits first hand, Bron Afon is now committed to continuing with the four-day week, with Mr Brunt adding: "I expect that most organisations will be doing this in the next 10 years or so." The campaign's success closely aligns with the results found by a group appointed by the Welsh Government last year. The group, established under the Workforce Partnership Council (WPC), spent a year studying the pros and cons of a four-day working week. The project revealed five major benefits, including: Improved work-life balance: Shorter work hours with no pay-cut help workers better balance work and personal life. Better health: Reduced hours help prevent burnout, lower stress and improve physical and mental wellbeing. Attraction and retention: Boosts recruitment and retention by offering distinctive benefit and effective pay increase (for fewer hours worked). Greater inclusivity: Supports workers with caring responsibilities, fostering a more inclusive workspace. Increased productivity and organisational performance: Due to increased feelings of wellbeing, those who are feeling well rested and happier tend to produce work more efficiently and of higher quality. Article continues below
CNN
03-07-2025
- Business
- CNN
It's not just workers that can benefit from a four-day week, a trial suggests
Switching to a four-day work week can be good for the bottom line, according to the results of a new trial in the United Kingdom. For six months between last November and April, nearly 1,000 employees across 17 companies and other organizations were given an additional day off each week while retaining the same pay and workload. All the 17 entities have kept the shorter work week after the trial period, the 4 Day Week Foundation, a UK campaign group that organized the trial, said Thursday. It wasn't only workers who reaped the benefits of a shorter week. Some organizations recorded an increase in revenue and fewer sick days compared with the same year-ago period. BrandPipe, a software company based in London, saw its revenue jump almost 130%, according to a report compiled by the 4 Day Week Foundation and Boston College in the United States. 'The trial's been an overwhelming success for BrandPipe,' Geoff Slaughter, the company's co-founder and CEO, told the report's authors, adding that a four-day week is 'a great thing for businesses to try.' BrandPipe is one of four organizations that provided data about their revenue. Of those, three saw a rise in revenue and one a fall during the trial. The decrease, however, was reported against a different comparison period – specifically, the six months immediately preceding the trial. Four organizations also registered fewer sick and personal days taken by employees during the trial. The remaining two for which the information was available recorded a higher number of such days. The data on revenue and absences is limited, as the report's authors acknowledged, writing: 'Given this, the findings are purely descriptive and only provide a limited insight to the impact of the trial for individual organizations.' In addition to companies, the 17 organizations included eight charities, non-profits, non-governmental and voluntary entities. Most opted for a four-day week, while five chose a nine-day fortnight. The outcome of the trial comes hot on the heels of success elsewhere. During similar experiments in the United States, UK and Germany, workers reported being happier and healthier. One year after a large UK trial in 2022, involving 61 organizations, a large majority were still allowing their employees to work a shorter week. Likewise, trials in the US and Canada in 2022 and 2023 resulted in almost all companies continuing with the policy. But these studies are not without their critics. Michael Sanders, a professor of public policy at King's College London, pointed out that such trials are based on self-selection, meaning that the companies agreeing to take part might be those where a four-day week would 'be taken up enthusiastically.' Trying a shorter week may work well for these 'motivated' employers and employees but it 'doesn't tell us much about what would happen if someone else tried it,' Sanders told CNN. Joe Ryle, campaign director of the 4 Day Week Foundation, responded that, in the last few years, such trials around the world had involved hundreds of companies from a wide range of sectors, which had signed up 'with varying degrees of enthusiasm and commitment.' But in future trials the foundation would like to 'add an element of randomized control where possible,' he added. However future experiments may be done, one participant in the latest installment is optimistic about a shorter work week. 'I expect that most organizations will be doing this in the next 10 years or so,' Alan Brunt, CEO of Bron Afon Community Housing in Wales, told the 4 Day Week Foundation.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Businesses ‘thriving' after adopting four-day working week
A national pilot scheme exploring a four-day working week has concluded with a resounding 100 per cent success rate, prompting all participating companies to permanently adopt the shorter schedule. The six-month trial, which began last November, involved 17 companies and nearly 1,000 workers, and was organised by the 4 Day Week Foundation. All 17 firms have now committed to continuing the four-day week beyond the pilot phase. A report on the initiative highlighted that organisations were able to maintain their service levels and key performance indicators throughout the trial period. This demonstrated that productivity did not suffer despite the reduction in working days. Crucially, the pilot also yielded substantial benefits for employee wellbeing. Almost two-thirds of workers registered a reduction in how often they experienced burnout, while two in five found an improvement in their mental health. Furthermore, nearly half of the participants reported feeling more satisfied with their lives. Joe Ryle, campaign director of the 4 Day Week Foundation, said: 'With greater knowledge, expertise and experience of what it takes to successfully implement a four-day week, we're really pleased to see such a high success rate. 'People are happier, businesses are thriving, and there's no turning back. 'We've proved it again and again: a four-day week works and should now be implemented more widely across the economy.' Alan Brunt, chief executive of Bron Afon Community Housing with 420 staff, who are extending their pilot further, said: 'Almost as soon as we started talking about it, our teams got together to set about making it work which was brilliant. 'We've closely monitored our performance and customer satisfaction. We're happy with the results so far and will continue to make sure we're delivering for our customers. 'I expect that most organisations will be doing this in the next 10 years or so.'
