*Two hundred UK companies have committed to a permanent four-day workweek for over 5,000 employees, with no pay reduction.
According to The Guardian, companies in sectors like marketing, technology, and charities have led the charge, with 59 London-based firms signing up for a permanent four-day working week. The shift is part of a growing movement to reconsider traditional work schedules, which proponents argue are outdated.
Joe Ryle, campaign director of the 4 Day Week Foundation, emphasizes that the five-day, 9-5 work pattern is no longer effective in modern times. He said the “9-5, five-day working week was invented 100 years ago and is no longer fit for purpose. We are long overdue an update.”
“50% more free time, a four-day week gives people the freedom to live happier, more fulfilling lives”, he continued. “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.”
This contrasts, however, with policies in the U.S. and some UK firms that have mandated return-to-office work post-COVID.
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The concept of a four-day workweek has been gaining traction in the U.S. for years. However, not all models are the same—some require employees to work 40 hours across four days, while others reduce total weekly hours without cutting pay or benefits.
“The pandemic gave employees the opportunity to explore what flexible work looked like, and many saw the huge benefits of that,” said Dale Whelehan, PhD, a behavioral scientist and CEO at 4 Day Week Global, an advocacy organization that runs 4-day workweek trials around the world, per the American Psychology Association.
Supporters argue that the four-day week boosts employee satisfaction, retention, and productivity by maintaining output in fewer hours.
“The new frontier requires us to answer a question,” said Claudia Goldin, PhD, a professor of economics at Harvard University. “What do we, as a society, want to do to improve job quality and the well-being of workers without sacrificing productivity?”
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