‘Happier employees’: Britain did a four-day workweek trial
61 companies participated that reduced weekly work hours and maintained salaries. The majority will maintain the regime.
A test of a four-day work week in Britain revealed that an overwhelming majority of the 61 companies that participated last June to December will continue with the reduced work schedules and that the majority of employees were less stressed and had a better balance between work and personal life.
All this, while company revenues remained roughly the same during last year’s test period and even increased compared to the same six months of the previous year, according to results published this week.
According to what they indicated, the employees worked less without a salary reduction.
“We are really encouraged by the results, which show the many ways in which companies are turning the four-day week from a dream to a realistic, multi-benefit policy,” said David Frayne, a research associate at the University of Cambridge and who helped lead the team that conducted the employee interviews for the essay. “We think there are a lot of things here that should motivate other companies and industries to try it.”
The university team worked with researchers from Boston College; Autonomy, a research organization focused on the future of work, and the nonprofit community 4 Day Week Global, to see how companies in industries ranging from marketing to finance to nonprofits would respond , and its 2,900 workers, to a reduction in working hours while maintaining the same salary.
Unsurprisingly, employees remarked on the benefits: 71% less burnout, 39% less stress, and 48% higher job satisfaction than before the test.
Of the workers, 60% stated that it was easier to reconcile work and responsibilities at home, while 73% stated that they were more satisfied with their lives. Tiredness had decreased, people were getting more sleep and mental health had improved, according to the results.