4-day workweek trial: Shorter hours, happier employees [UK]

Associated Press ^ | February 21, 2023 | Courtney Bonnell

[Olog-hai]

Work less, get more.

A trial of a four-day workweek in Britain, billed as the world’s largest, has found that an overwhelming majority of the 61 companies that participated from June to December will keep going with the shorter hours and that most employees were less stressed and had better work-life balance.

That was all while companies reported revenue largely stayed the same during the trial period last year and even grew compared with the same six months a year earlier, according to findings released this week. […]

The university (of Cambridge)’s team worked with researchers from Boston College; Autonomy, a research organization focused on the future of work; and the 4 Day Week Global nonprofit community to see how the companies from industries spanning marketing to finance to nonprofits and their 2,900 workers would respond to reduced work hours while pay stayed the same. […]

“Everyone is focused, everyone knows what they’re doing, everyone is refreshed,” said Kirsty Wainwright, general manager of the restaurant about a three-hour drive northeast of London. “What it means is that they are coming into work with a better frame of mind and passing that on to obviously the clients and the public that are coming here for their meals. They’re getting a greater service because the team are more engaged.” …

[WKUHilltopper]

Wages getting cut too? Wonder if that’ll make ‘em happy?

[billorites]

[hardspunned]

I don’t think I could have gotten accomplished in four days what always took five. Who picks up the 20% slack in productivity? Not gubmint jobs but real ones.

[Maine Mariner]

The article suggests that hours were cut and pay stayed the same. I am sure most workers would be delighted with that outcome. A very nice pay raise indeed!

I am also sure there will now be calls for legislation to mandate a four-day week.

[WKUHilltopper]

Well, that’s not at all inflationary or stupid economically.

[Roadrunner383]

Boss and I worked four 10 hour days for a year or so. He worked Tues-Fri, I worked Mon-Thurs. Kind of a pain sometimes, we had to get things planned out in 3 days, Tues-Thurs which were the only days we were there together.

I wasn’t sad to see our 4 day weeks end. We had flexible hours to some extent anyway. We always put in a several hours unpaid overtime every week (this was IT), so taking off a couple of hours early Fri. or coming in late on Mon. wasn’t a problem as long as one of us had things covered. Anyway, I didn’t think 4 day weeks were all they were cracked up to be.

[V_TWIN]

George Jetson approves 👍

[Codeflier]

and pissed off customers.

[dfwgator]

[Opinionated Blowhard]

companies reported revenue largely stayed the same

Those companies should fire about 20% of their workforce. Costs go down and revenues stay the same!

[pepsi_junkie]

My company does M-Th schedule, but 10 hours a day instead of 8. So same hours, if you believe people are actually working all 10 hours.

I used to love those Fridays off, it was a relaxing day that we just peace and quiet. For a while. Then my wife decided she now had three days a week to come up with stuff for me to do. Now I wonder if I'd rather go back to the traditional work schedule where people are at work more or less mail it in after noon on Friday.

[Puppage]

And higher taxes.

[hardspunned]

I guess I can only speak for myself. When I was at work (mostly commission based) I worked my tail off every hour there. I could have cut my hours by 20% but could not have afforded the 20% cut in pay. I guess I just had the wrong job. Should have gotten a gubmint job.

[pepsi_junkie]

Most of my career I worked six days a work, routinely about 60 hours. I did it as part of my ruthless climb up the corporate ladder, taking ever crappy job that was on fire in my bid to gain crucial experiences. And I climbed quickly at first but I guess I became considered too important saving the company from crappy jobs and I maxed out 15 years ago, one wrung below the coveted executive pay level. Stupidly I still take on the worst jobs and work terrible hours while getting my teeth by kicked in by executives who I trained, all the while dreaming of retiring in the next 10 years and praying the democrats done destroy the economy or drain my 401K while I wait.

I feel like Patton, the guy the army wanted and needed on the front lines but not in the Pentagon. So you'll have to bear with me if I relax on the occasional Friday now.

[EVO X]

I wasn’t sad to see our 4 day weeks end. We had flexible hours to some extent anyway. We always put in a several hours unpaid overtime every week (this was IT),

I retired from IT some years ago. You are either a salaried employee or a hourly employee. If you are classified as a hourly employee, you are suppose to get overtime for working over 40 hours per week.

[Myrddin]

My wife usually does 4 days of 10 hours, then 3 days off. Currently, 3 of 7 dispatchers are out on maternity leave that started Jan 1 and runs to March 31. That leaves 4 dispatches to cover police/fire/EMS dispatch 24x7. Now she works 3 days X 12 hours and 1 day X 6 hours. I can assure you she is not "happier" with that arrangement. It is especially bad because all 12 hours are non-stop, working alone with nobody available for even a bathroom break. It takes a fully qualified dispatcher to cover the "break".

[Vaduz]

“Everyone is focused, everyone knows what they’re doing, everyone is refreshed,”

[Pollard]

My job, all 12 hour days, 6am to 6pm (one hour drive one way)

Week 1: Sun, Mon, Thurs Fri
Week 2: Tues, Wed, Sat

Repeat - end up as Sat, Sun, Mon work one week and Sat, Sun, Mon off the next.

Weekly pay of 4 days one week and 3 the next but Uncle Sam takes most of that 4 day week pay which has overtime on it.

I hate it

[aimhigh]

Liberals want this, to allow more people to join in their weekend riots.