Four-day working week with no loss in pay at 100 UK businesses

A hundred UK companies signed up to the permanent four-day working weeks for all their employees in a move which as been described as “transformative”.

The two biggest companies to sign up to the plan, with 450 UK staff employed, are Atom Bank and Awin, The Guardian reports.

Adam Ross, chief executive at global marketing company Awin, told the Guardian the move was “one of the most transformative initiatives we’ve seen in the history of the company.

“Over the course of the last year and a half, we have not only seen a tremendous increase in employee wellness and wellbeing but concurrently, our customer service and relations, as well as talent relations and retention also have benefited.”

A trial of the four-day working week was held in the summer.

More than 3,000 employees at 70 companies across the country will took part in the biggest four-day week trial anywhere in the world, with no loss of pay for those working a shorter week.

Firms taking part gave workers 100% of pay for 80% of the time, in exchange for a commitment to maintain at least 100% productivity.

The trial was organised by 4 Day Week Global in partnership with think tank Autonomy, the 4 Day Week UK Campaign, and researchers at Cambridge University, Oxford University and Boston College.

In September, 88% of companies taking part said it was working well, while 95% of companies said productivity had either increased or stayed the same.

Joe Ryle, the UK’s campaign director, told The Guardian: ““We want to see a four-day week with no loss of pay become the normal way of working in this country by the end of the decade, so we are aiming to sign up many more companies over the next few years.

“With many businesses struggling to afford 10% inflation pay rises, we’re starting to see increasing evidence that a four-day week with no loss of pay is being offered as an alternative solution.”