Greater than 200,000 UK employees swap to four-day week since 2019

[ad_1] Greater than 100,000 employees within the UK have switched to a full-time four-day week because the pandemic, in an extra signal of the revolution on this planet of labor impressed by Covid, in line with an evaluation.

Almost 1.4 million folks stated they labored full-time on 4 days of the week between October and December 2024, a rise of greater than 100,000 in contrast with the identical interval in 2019, when 1.29 million reported this work schedule, in line with figures from the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics (ONS).

Campaigners and a few economists say a four-day week advantages employees by giving them extra time to calm down and placing much less pressure on their psychological well being, whereas serving to companies by making their employees extra motivated and facilitating recruitment and retention.

An additional 100,000 folks stated they labored a part-time four-day week between October and December 2024 in contrast with the identical interval in 2019.

Consequently, the share of individuals within the UK who report working a four-day week has climbed from 9.8% within the closing three months of 2019 to 10.9%, representing 2.7 million throughout full- and part-time work.

The figures don't clarify whether or not these making the most of shorter working weeks have compressed their hours or have taken a pay lower to take action.

The 4 Day Week Basis, which campaigns for extra companies to take up shorter working weeks with no lack of pay for employees, has reported that greater than 420 firms, using greater than 12,000 employees, have adopted a four-day week because the pandemic.

That is primarily based on the variety of firms which have signed as much as the muse’s employer accreditation scheme and those that have publicised their adoption of a shorter week.

The inspiration is looking for a four-day, 32-hour working week to develop into regular in Britain for all staff, with out requiring a discount in wage.

Sam Hunt, the enterprise community coordinator on the 4 Day Week Basis, stated: “The 9 to 5, five-day week is a century-old mannequin that now not matches the way in which we stay and work in the present day. We’re lengthy overdue an replace. A four-day week with no lack of pay is about freedom – the liberty to stay happier, more healthy and extra fulfilling lives.”

The pandemic upended the world of labor for a lot of professionals, turning hybrid working into the “new regular” for greater than 1 / 4 of working adults in Nice Britain, in line with ONS figures.

Nevertheless, the continued tug-of-war between employers and their staff has meant some employees have needed to battle for the correct to maintain working from dwelling within the face of return-to-office mandates, not to mention scale back their variety of working days.

One native authority is main the cost. South Cambridgeshire district council voted final month to completely undertake a four-day week, turning into the primary UK council to take action. Its 700 employees are capable of decide in to the scheme, the place they're anticipated to hold out 100% of their work in about 80% of their contracted hours, with no discount in pay.

After a 27-month trial, the council stated it had recorded sooner planning functions, housing repairs and advantages processing. As well as, it stated it had improved employees motivation, decreased turnover and made an annual saving of practically £400,000 by filling vacancies completely fairly than counting on costly company employees.

It's understood a number of different councils are trialling a four-day week.

South Cambridgeshire district council had come underneath strain to drop its trial by the earlier Conservative authorities, which issued steerage stating it didn't help a four-day working week in native authorities and stated it did “not imagine that it delivers native taxpayers worth for cash”.

Nevertheless, the Labour authorities withdrew the steerage in November. As an alternative, it stated native authorities have been “impartial employers” who have been “rightly liable for the administration and organisation of their very own workforces”.

A number of senior Labour politicians, together with the deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, have voiced help for a four-day week, though the occasion has not embraced the coverage since coming to energy.

The Scottish authorities launched a four-day week pilot in early 2024 and the outcomes of the year-long trial involving two public sector our bodies are anticipated to be printed quickly.

Advertising and know-how firms and charities have been within the vanguard of adopting four-day weeks to date, in line with analysis by the 4 Day Week Basis.