The UK is initiating a four-day working week trial starting this year. Throughout the pandemic, the typical work model has been challenged with work-from-home mandates. The UK is taking the opportunity to further experiment with work models through its pilot four-day work-week. The trial will occur over six months, starting in June and ending in December 2022.
Researchers at Cambridge Univesity, Boston College, and Oxford University are running the program alongside 4 Day Week Global and other organizations. The study comprises 30 UK-based businesses thus far. Other UK companies interested in participating in the pilot can apply to do so before the start of the trial. Overall, the pilot aims to reduce employees' hours without cutting their pay in hopes of increasing productivity and general quality of life.
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Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Reduced Work-week
- The trend of implementing reduced work-weeks to increase productivity and employee well-being
Where This Applies
- Human Resources
- HR departments can explore how to implement reduced work-weeks to increase employee satisfaction and retention
- Consulting and Research
- Consulting firms and research institutions can provide guidance on how to conduct and measure the success of reduced work-week pilots
- Technology
- Technology companies can develop and market tools to help teams collaborate and stay productive during reduced work-weeks
