Four-day working week receives thumbs-up from 86% of trial companies: Study

A breakthrough study conducted to assess the feasibility of a four-day working week in the UK has found overwhelming support from the participating companies. Reportedly, nine in 10 companies stated that they were willing to extend the four-day work week policy beyond the initial six-month test period. 

Reportedly, the study was conducted by researchers at Boston College and the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in collaboration with 4 Day Week Global, a not-for-profit group that paired up with a think tank named Autonomy.

According to the study, more than 70 organisations participated in the six-month long assessment, ranging from a local fish shop to larger companies from myriad sectors such as retail, technology, food, and hospitality. The test began in June and within three months, the companies have come on board with the new policy.

WATCH | United Kingdom begins the largest 4-day work week trial

Researchers stated that more than 3,300 workers and 41 companies participated in the mid-term survey and put forth their views. 

Astonishingly, 88 per cent of the respondents replied that the new system was working well while 86 per cent said they were likely to stick with the four-day working week, once the experiment came to halt. 

The team devised a rating system on a scale of one to five, with the rating of one representing 'extremely smooth' shift. 78 per cent of the workers responded by rating the shorter work week either one or two on the scale. Meanwhile, 46 per cent of businesses stated that productivity had remained the same. 

“We are learning that for many it is a fairly smooth transition and for some, there are some understandable hurdles, especially among those that have comparatively fixed or inflexible practices, systems or cultures dating back well into the last century.” Joe O’Connor, chief executive of 4 Day Week Global was quoted as saying. 

It's not only the aforementioned study that has found benefits from a reduced work week. As reported by WION, in August, a UK-based app-based lender Atom bank conducted a similar test and found that it improved productivity and job satisfaction.

The staff of the bank was given a choice to move from 37.5 hours spread over five days to 34 hours spread across four days for the same salary.

While 92 per cent changed the way they worked so they could get things done and enjoy the three-day weekend, 91 per cent of employees were able to do all the work required in four days.