Almost every organisation that took part in the UK trial of a four-day week (92%) has decided to continue with a shorter working week, after the pilot saw a reduction in burnout, anxiety, fatigue and sickness absence.
The results of the UK four-day week pilot, published by think-tank Autonomy, the University of Cambridge and Boston College in the US, showed that at least 56 of the 61 participants are continuing the arrangement, with 18 saying it will be a permanent change.
Participants saw 71% of employees report lower levels of burnout and a 57% reduction in the likelihood that an employee would quit their role.
They also saw a 65% reduction in sick days, and staff reported improvements to their mental and physical health, work-life balance and satisfaction with their household finances, relationships and how their time was being managed.
Four-day week trial results
Four-day week scheme in Ireland judged a success
The organisations that participated in the trial, which ran between June and December last year and saw employees work a four-day week with no loss of pay, ranged from a Norfolk fish and chip shop to larger consultancies and financial services companies.
Aside from the employee wellbeing and satisfaction benefits, employers also saw their revenue rise by 1.4% on average.
Joe Ryle, director of the 4 Day Week Campaign, said: “This is a major breakthrough moment for the movement towards a four-day working week.
“Across a wide variety of different sectors of the economy, these incredible results show that the four-day week with no loss of pay really works. Surely the time has now come to begin rolling it out across the country.”
Charlotte Lockhart, co-founder of 4 Day Week Global, said the UK four-day week trial results largely mirror the outcomes of earlier pilots in Ireland and the US.
She said: “While the impacts on business performance and worker wellbeing are expected and welcome, it’s particularly interesting to observe the diversity in findings across various industries. These results, combined with our previous research, demonstrate that non-profit and professional service employees had a larger increase in time spent exercising, while the small group of construction/manufacturing workers had the biggest reduction in burnout and sleep problems.”
Citizens Advice in Gateshead is among the organisations that have decided to continue to operate a four-day week policy. Chief operating officer Paul Oliver said: “In the months following the launch of the trial our sickness levels went down and staff retention levels went up, bucking the trend shown by other similar organisations recently.
Non-profit and professional service employees had a larger increase in time spent exercising, while the small group of construction/manufacturing workers had the biggest reduction in burnout and sleep problems.” – Charlotte Lockhart, 4 Day Week Global
“It feels like it’s really making a difference in so many crucial ways. Staff are getting more work done in less time and overall working more efficiently and effectively. Most of our services are seeing more clients than they were before the trial.”
One Citizens Advice Gateshead employee, Victoria, said being able to work a shorter week has helped her balance childcare and work responsibilities more effectively.
“Our eldest son has complex needs and routine means everything to him. Knowing that the children have quality time and reassurance of routine with me, means I have had a weight lifted and I can be really focussed on work. It is working so well, and I am feeling really productive, consistently hitting my weekly target,” she said.
The success of a four-day week policy will depend on the nature of the organisation, said Charlotte Morris, associate solicitor at ESP Law.
“Many of the reported benefits of the four-day working week are only going to be truly identifiable long-term so it’s interesting to finally see results from a trial done at some length. Arguably though, given the prolonged period of time we work for, from leaving education to retirement age for most, a six-month trial is still not long enough to truly measure the impact a shorter working week will have,” she said.
“Businesses may be able to sustain it for 12 months but not for five or ten years, and, on the flip side, the positive impact that improved employee wellbeing can have will be best seen when you can compare staff absence, sickness rates and burnout over years. Therefore, results must be taken with a degree of caution and they may not be sufficient enough for us to see a seismic shift to a four-day week by businesses.”
Morris said there were may practicalities for employers to consider, including what happens to part-time workers, the calculation of holiday pay, and contractual changes.
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“For those businesses that see this report and are considering implementing a short week as a result, then we would advise that you trial the short week first and that the execution of the trial must be well-advised. It must be clear that it is a trial that may not be implemented permanently and contractual agreements or proof of employee agreement to this may be required so you can revert back to a five-day week should you wish to,” she said.
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