Almost 9/10 companies that took part in the four-day working week trials have backed it
While you're enjoying your bank holiday week, now might be a good time to let you know that most of the UK companies currently trialling the four-day working week are happy with the results.
That's right, there's a chance that three-day weekends could be a thing of the future, with almost 9/10 of the companies are planning to keep the plan in place after the trial ends.
On June 6, more than 3,300 employees across 70 UK companies began working a four-day working week with no pay loss, and as the sixth-month trial hits its halfway mark, things are looking up.
Advert
4 Day Week Global have been working on and researching the pilot scheme alongside think tank Autonomy, the 4 Day Week UK Campaign, and researchers at Cambridge University, Oxford University, and Boston College.
The trial is also currently being held in the US, Ireland, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
While some firms that were considered more 'old-fashioned' have found the scheme trickier than others, it seems that the trial has been widely successful overall, with 95 percent of firms managing to maintain or even improve productivity during the shorter week.
An update from 4 Day Week Global has confirmed that around 86 percent of companies would be interested in keeping the four-day week in place.
Joe O'Connor, chief executive of 4 Week Global said: "We are learning that for many it is a fairly smooth transition and for some there are some understandable hurdles - especially among those which have comparatively fixed or inflexible practices, systems, or cultures which date back well into the last century."
Not only is the new pilot expected to improve worker wellbeing and decrease environmental damage, but with employees getting 100 percent of their salary for 80 percent of the hours, it could put a serious dent in the current cost of living crisis.
According to Autonomy, which is also backing the 4 Day Week scheme, a parent with a child under two could save an estimated £1,440 per year in childcare and £340 in commuting if they could go to work one less day per week.
This is definitely a step in the right direction, especially after some UK companies involved in the scheme reported problems with 'rota chaos' and extreme confusion not too long ago.
Just last month, head of the communications company Unit, Samantha Losey, told the The Telegraph that the trial had seen a ‘bumpy’ start.
She said at the time: "It's more likely that we won't carry on now.
"One of the things that has struck me is whether or not we are a mature enough business to be able to handle the four-day week. The rest of the world not doing four-day weeks makes it challenging.
"We agreed we'd go all the way through the pilot, but I'm questioning whether this is the right thing for us long term. It's been bumpy for sure."
But the data does not lie. Things are looking really promising at the three-month mark, and companies seem to be getting to grips with the new set-up.
Let's keep those fingers crossed until November, just in case.
Ali Condon