It looks like more and more companies could bring in the four-day working week in the future, and this is no surprise considering that nearly three quarters of the employees who trialled it said that they felt less burned out as a result.  But could a four-day working week work for your business? Our employment team have explored how it could be a positive move for your company and help you attract new talent in the post-covid employment market.

• Does less hours mean less productivity?

The trials showed that a four-day week gives employees more time to focus on their mental and physical health.  This allows them to focus more on the job in hand during the days they’re in work, because they’ll know that they have an extra day every week to complete tasks outside of work.   Despite what you might expect, the trial showed that productivity was not compromised because of a compressed working-week, it actually showed the opposite.  Results showed that average company revenue had actually gone up by 1.4% during the trial period.

• How can my company bring in the four-day working week?

There’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach to the four-day working week.  To be a success, the company will need to come up with a policy that is tailored for its industry.  The company will need to factor in practical things like its work culture, its organisational challenges and the structure of its departments.  Your company may find that it works for them to close the workplace completely for a three-day weekend.  If not, another option for the company would be to offer staff reduced hours, so that they can keep their doors open for the usual five days, but staff will have the same drive as they would a four-day working week as they will have extra time off.

• How will it help my company?

It’s clear from the trials that a four-day working week has seen an overall increase in employee satisfaction, this is shown in the fact that less staff were off sick during the trial period than they were when they worked five days.  In turn, this means that employees working a four-day week are more likely to stay in their jobs.  It could also benefit your company when it comes to recruitment; it’s an attractive offer for employees and so could give your company the competitive edge when hiring new talent.

• Still not sure about the four-day working week?

The reality is, a four-day week won’t work for every business.  With that in mind, maybe having the less drastic option of bringing in reduced working hours may be the best approach for your company.  Employers could even consider offering employees fewer holidays, putting a provision in pace that means that employers can call their employees in to work at short notice, or even having a “conditional” four-day working week based on employee performance.  All these options should be fully explored so that you come up with a policy that works for your business.

Do you need advice on this?

With more and more companies considering bringing in a four-day working week, it may well be something you want to explore for your business.  If you need any advice or guidance on how to navigate the changing workplace, contact a solicitor or HR expert.