Four-day week

Summary:

At first glance, the results of a four-day-working-week trial look impressive, but there are many unanswered questions.

‘Four-day week trial achieves “incredible” 92 per cent success rate, official report shows’, ran the headline in People Management¹. ‘Major four-day week trial shows most companies see massive staff mental health benefits and profit [sic] increase’, said The Independent newspaper². The full report on the six-month UK trial, run by the UK 4 Day Week Campaign, New Zealand-based 4 Day Week Global and Autonomy Research, gives credence to the headlines: 56 of the 61 firms that took part will maintain a four-day week; revenues were up by 35% on a ‘comparable’ six-month period; staff turnover fell by 57% and sickness absence dropped by 65%, it said³. Employees reported fewer sleep difficulties, lower burnout scores, improved job satisfaction, less work–family conflict and higher work ability…

John Ballard, editor

 

Author: Ballard J

Tags working time

Occupational Health at Work April/May 2023 (vol. 19/6) pp03

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