ONCE thought a wacky idea, a four day working week is fast becoming a trend in the UK as firms seek ways to boost productivity and attract the best talent.
Today around 70 British firms begin a landmark trial – with staff on full pay while doing one day a week less – and they are joining a growing list of employers doing the same.
Last year Atom Bank hit the headlines when it moved to a permanent four-day week without reducing pay.
It was the largest British employer to make the move so far after successful trials in other countries showed it can be good for business.
The Durham firm told us: “At Atom, happy and healthy colleagues = happy and healthy customers.
"It's business as usual."
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Meanwhile Girling Jones, a construction recruitment firm in Exeter, switched to a four-day week in January.
Since then productivity is up and so are profits, boss Simon Girling told the BBC.
He said: "All our inputs – calls, meetings, interviews, are up…quite simply everyone is doing more in less time."
Staff member Ellen Andreassen said: "I'm definitely more motivated.
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"One thing I've noticed is sleep. I'm sleeping a lot better and getting up is a lot easier."
Leeds finance firm BWD introduced four-day week without reducing pay after a "remarkable" three-month trial in 2021.
And London software developers IriusRisk moved to a three-day weekend in December, with CEO Cristina Bentue telling Forbes the firm received ten new CVs within 24 hours of the news.
Some firms like Atom have opted to squeeze five days' hours into four longer days, leaving Fridays free for the whole company.
Others have cut hours, expecting staff to use their time more efficiently, and letting them choose their day off.
Today dozens more UK companies are following suit as part of the world's biggest trial of four day working.
They range from large IT firms to a small fish and chip shop in Norfolk.
The nine staff at Pressure Drop Brewery in Tottenham, north London, will try to produce the same volume of beer across four days instead of five.
Co-founder Sam Smith told the BBC: "I think it's about how you use your time.
"So when I talk about being productive I don't mean being faster at the task you're doing right now, it might be making use of the natural downtimes you have to prepare better for the following day."
The six-month trial is being run by academics at Oxford and Cambridge universities along with a think tank and campaigners.
Researchers say workers can shift to a more flexible pattern with little or no drop in productivity.
The benefits for employers include reduced sickness absence and lower staff turnover, slashing recruitment costs.
It also attracts talented candidates who want a better work-life balance.
Which UK employers are taking part in the trial?
There are around 70 companies and organisations in the pilot but only 28 have publicly announced they are taking part.
They include:
- Royal Society of Biology – professional body
- Hutch – mobile game developers
- Yo Telecom – telecoms services
- Adzooma – online marketing services
- Pressure Drop Brewing – brewery
- Happy – workplace consultancy services
- Platten’s Fish and Chips – chip shop in Norfolk
- Eurowagens – car parts retailer
- Bookishly – online book and gifts shop
- Outcomes First Group – education and foster care services
- NeatClean – eco cleaning products firm
- 5 Squirrels – skincare branding consultancy
- Salamandra – animation studios
- Girling Jones – recruitment firm
- AKA Case Management – case management firm
- IE Brand & Digital – marketing company
- Helping Hands – at-home care services
- Trio Media – marketing agency
- Literal Humans – marketing agency
- Physiquipe – rehabilitation tech company
- Tyler Grange – landscape planning consultancy
- Timberlake Consultants -software firm
- Everledge – tech firm
- Scotland's International Development Alliance – industry body for Scottish charities
- Amplitude – tech firm
- Stemette Futures – education organisation
- Comcen – computer supplies retailer
- We Are Purposeful – activism organisation
Which companies were already on a four day week?
Here's a list of the UK firms offering a four day week on full pay:
- 3D Issue – printing software firm in Donegal
- Advice Direct Scotland – non-profit in Glasgow
- Atom Bank – finance firm in Durham
- Autonomy – think tank researching the future of work
- Awin – consultancy firm
- Big Potato Games – board games maker in East London
- Blink – Norwich e-commerce firm
- Canon – Edinburgh-based UK arm of the global camera giant
- CMG Technologies – Suffolk 3D metal moulding firm
- Causeway Irish Housing Association – London non-profit
- Charlton Norris – recruitment firm in Leeds
- Crystallised – Newcastle marketing agency
- Earth Science Partnership – research group in Cardiff
- Elektra Lighting – London lighting consultants
- Evolved – online marketing specialists in the North East
- Flocc – Cambridge and London-based marketing agency
- Geeks For Social Change – Manchester software developers
- Gracefruit – Glasgow cosmetics firm
- The Landmark Hotel London – upmarket hotel in Marylebone
- Legacy Events -management agency in Oxford
- MRL – Brighton recruiters specialising in tech and finance
- People and Transformational HR – Nortants design and marketing consultancy
- Punch Creative – boutique digital marketing agency in Leeds
- Reboot – Hertfordshire ad agency
- Resiliance Brokers – climate finance firm based in London
- Reward Agency – Manchester ad agency
- Stop Aids – London HIV charity
- Sinister Fish Games – Lincoln-based board game makers
- Social Enterprise Direct – Glasgow finance firm
- Softer Success – consultancy and training provider in London
- StreamGo – Sunderland-based indie events platform
- T-Cup Studios – Bath boutique consultancy
- Target Publishing – Essex indie publishers
- Technovent – high-tech medical services supplier in South Wales
- The Circle – hub for charities and non-profits in Dundee
- The UPAC group – Glasgow packing firm
- Venture Stream – Newcastle marketing agency
- YWCA Scotland – young women's movement based in Glasgow
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