Two hundred companies in the United Kingdom have committed to a permanent four-day working week with no reduction in pay for employees, according to a report from The Guardian.
The latest update from the 4 Day Week Foundation reveals that these 200 companies employ over 5,000 people, with marketing and technology firms being the most represented sectors.
Advocates for the four-day workweek argue that the traditional five-day workweek is a relic of a bygone economic era. Joe Ryle, the campaign director for the foundation, was quoted as saying, “9-5, five-day working week was invented 100 years ago and is no longer fit for purpose. We are long overdue an update.”
‘A Win-win‘
He further emphasized that a four-day working week, offering 50 percent more free time, would enable people to lead happier and more fulfilling lives. “As hundreds of British companies and one local council have already shown, a four-day week with no loss of pay can be a win-win for both workers and employers,” Ryle added.
The push for a shorter workweek initially gained momentum among marketing, advertising, and press relations firms, followed by 30 other companies adopting the policy. Later, 29 organizations from the charity, NGO, and social care sectors, 24 technology, IT, and software firms, and another 22 companies in business, consulting, and management sectors joined the movement and offered four-day working weeks to their staff.
Supporters of the four-day week argue that it is an effective way to attract and retain employees while also boosting productivity by achieving the same results in fewer hours. According to The Guardian, London-based companies are particularly enthusiastic, making up 59 of the total.
This trend reflects the ongoing debate over work structures that was sparked during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many workers have pushed for the right to continue working from home, or at least reduce their working days.
In contrast, U.S.-based companies such as JPMorgan Chase and Amazon have mandated that their employees work five days a week in the office. Lloyds Banking Group is also considering whether its senior staff is meeting in-office requirements while distributing annual bonuses.
Some employees who still have hybrid work options have resisted the return-to-office mandates. For instance, a group of staff at Starling Bank resigned after the CEO demanded that thousands of employees attend the office more frequently.
Notably, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and other senior Labour Party politicians have supported the four-day workweek policy. However, the party has not fully embraced it since coming into power, with some speculating that they are hesitant to give the opposition Conservative Party a political advantage.
The Guardian report referenced research by Spark Market Research, which suggests that younger workers are more likely to challenge traditional working patterns. Around 78 percent of those aged 18-34 in the UK believe that a four-day working week will become the norm within the next five years. Additionally, 65 percent of this age group expressed opposition to a full-time “work from office” system.
Lynsey Carolan, managing director of Spark, commented, “18-34 (year olds), the core workforce of the next 50 years, are making their feelings known that they don’t intend to go back to old-fashion working patterns.”
She added, “This group also say that mental health and improving their overall well being are their top priorities, so a four-day week is a really meaningful benefit and a key enabler of their overall quality of life.”
