Largest UK public sector trial of 4 day week sees huge benefits, research finds

https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/jul/08/largest-uk-public-sector-trial-four-day-week-sees-huge-benefits-research-finds-

Posted by okjob_io

9 Comments

  1. I’m shocked I tell you.

    People are more productive and far happier when they have a better work life balance

  2. Don’t get too excited..

    “staff were expected to carry out 100% of their work in 80% of the time for 100% of the pay.”

    So you get to work 4 days, but you have to work 25% faster. You’re still doing the same amount of work for the same amount of pay. Marginally better situation than working five days, assuming you’re not exhausted on that fifth day from working 25% harder, but it’s not really the nice easy part time life you may have been thinking.

    edit – not sure why the downvotes, did i say something incorrect?

  3. therealhairykrishna on

    I worked a 4-day week for about a year. I just cramming a lot of hours into the 4 days but it was still really good. I had Fridays off and a 3 day weekend, every weekend, was perfect.

  4. BlondBitch91 on

    I’m hopeful that a government that does not have a complete unabashed disdain for the public sector will look at trying to take this forward, rather than trying to crush it like the Tories attempted.

  5. Witty-Bus07 on

    Sadly those on minimum wage in jobs with no security, benefits working 6 to 7 days etc. are totally forgotten when these initiatives come up

  6. Nonny-Mouse100 on

    Yeah, Until the Tories are back in power (or worse the National Front… Sorry, I mean Reform), when pay rises need awarding, they’ll only state, you’re now working 4 days a week, so you either work 5 for more pay, or don’t get a pay rise.

    Bearing in mind, not that long ago, the NHS standard work week went from 37 – 37.5 hours…. Without pay increase to compensate. While that’s not a lot, it’s 120 hours a year.

  7. My worry about the the 4 day week is that a lot of the initial results could be down to the novelty of it. Will everything level back out after a number of years? IDK.

    In my view it will only get a foothold if privates jump at the researched benefits, or the workforce start demanding it in a similar vein to work from home.

  8. CardiffCity1234 on

    Where I work does 4 day week, its been 2 years now and out of 300 staff I know of only two people who have left during that time.

  9. ArchdukeToes on

    I think most people are stressed and on the verge of burnout (I know *I* am!) and so it’s not surprising that an extra day off doesn’t result in a reduction in productivity, just like forcing an extra day wouldn’t result in more work being done.