Thousands of Brits will be allowed to work 4 days a week - see list of employers

21 February 2023 , 11:32

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Some 56 out of 61 companies trialling the four-day working week have opted to carry it on (Image: Getty Images)

Brit bosses trialling the four-day working week have given it the green light after major success.

UK firms are sticking with the shorter weeks for the same pay after employees reported vast improvements to their work-life balance while bosses saw a boost in productivity.

Some 61 employers across the country took part in the six-month trial, almost all of which (56) have vowed to continue with four-day weeks indefinitely.

The scheme ran from June to December, with staff told they could take another day off during the week without seeing a cut in pay.

Workplaces from breweries to fish and chip shops enrolled in the trial, and also reported seeing the number of sick days halved.

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Among the companies trialling the scheme were Rivelin Robotics in Sheffield, the Citizens Advice Bureau in Gateshead and London's Royal Society of Biology.

University of Cambridge research found that more than a third (39%) of the 2,900 employees taking part in the trial reported feeling less stressed, while 40% saw an improvement to their sleep and more than half (54%) were able to juggle work and personal responsibilities better.

More than a third of staff reported feeling less stressed after the move (Getty Images)

Tessa Gibson, who works for the Royal Society of Biology, said she wouldn't want to return to a five-day day week.

"Weekends can be quite hectic, so it has been quite nice to have that extra day to see your friends and family, and then you get that extra day off during the week to do all your chores or to have that time to relax.

"It has made a big difference to my mental health."

The Society's Chief Executive Mark Downs meanwhile told Sky News they planned to continue with the 32-hour week.

There's been a decline in the number of sick days taken during the period of the trial.

"Before the trial, on average, each person would take four or five sick days per year - that's down to less than two.

"I think it's a substantial difference."

The pilot has been rolled by non-profit organisation 4 Day Week Global, trialled in countries including New Zealand, the US, Australia and Iceland.

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Joe Ryle from the 4 Day Week campaign says there is 'no need' for most companies to work five days a week

Joe Ryle, Campaign Director for the 4 Day Week campaign, said: “The economy doesn’t need us to be working five days a week any more.

"It was 100 years ago, the shift to a five-day week, and the economy’s transformed since then.”

Findings of the UK trial are to be handed to MPs this week, meaning that more companies could end up testing the four-day week.

Full list of UK companies who have tested the 4 Day Week and agreed to be named publicly

1. 24/Three Consultants (Northamptonshire)
2. 5 Squirrels (Brighton and Hove)
3. Adzooma (Nottingham, Manchester and London)
4. AKA Case Management (Nottingham, Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester)
5. Amplitude Media (Northampton)
6. Ascendancy (Shropshire)
7. Bedrock Learning Ltd (Norwich)
8. Bookishly (Northamptonshire)
9. Boom! Studios (Bangor)
10. Charity Bank (Kent)
11. Citizens Advice Bureau (Gateshead)
12. Clarkson and Woods (Somerset)
13. Debt Justice (London)
14. Everledger (London & global)
15. Evolution Money (Manchester)
16. Flatpack (Birmingham)
17. Furness Insurance (London)
18. Frame 25 (Oxford)
19. Happy (London)

20. Helping Hands (Alcester, Warwickshire and nationwide)

21. Hutch (London)

22. Kingston First (London)

23. Knights Absorb (Guildford)

24. Literal Humans (London)

25. Loudmouth Media (Belfast, Dublin, Glasgow, London)

26. Merthyr Valley Homes (Merthyr Tydfil, Wales)

27. Mox London (London)

28. Outcomes Based Healthcare (London)

29. Plattens Fish and Chips (Wells-next-the-sea, Norfolk)

30. Pressure Drop Brewing (London)

31. Rivelin Robotics (Sheffield)

32. Royal Society of Biology (London)

33. Scotland's International Development Alliance (Edinburgh)

34. Sensat (London)

35. SideQuest Ltd (Belfast)

36. Sounds Like These (London)

37. Stellar Asset Management (Liverpool)

38. Stemettes (London)

39. TBL Services (Lancaster)

40. The Story Mob (London)

41. Trio Media (Leeds and London)

42. Tyler Grange (Rendcomb, Cirencester)

43. Unity (London)

44. Waterwise (London)

45. We Are Purposeful (London)

Susie Beever