A new four-day work week trial that lasted over a year significantly reduced turnover and improved workers’ mental and physical health

23 comments

1. NOOOO

   WE NEED TO WORK LONGER WEEKS TO APPEASE OUR CAPITALIST OVERLORDS!!! DELETE THIS NOW!!

2. It’s amazing how the tories made this sound all evil…boo down with free time, increased productivity and staff retention…we need you back in the office on six day weeks or, well, I’m not sure what the threat would be…

3. I just saw Jacob Rees Mogg falling to his knees in his local Fortnum and Mason.

4. That extra day I am sure could boost the economy and keep shops.

   The high street could really do with another day that has a higher amount of people visiting.

   Especially pubs, imagine pub Fridays, no kids as they are at school, a day to yourself to do whatever the fuck you want.

5. Conspicuously absent is productivity metrics. It’s not surprising that people feel better if they work less. The question if if they can increase productivity by 25% to justify the same salary.

6. of course it would reduce turnover if the job was for 4 days a week, not 5 – it would deter a person from seeking a new job if they had to work an extra day.
   Yes you would have an extra day off to exercise etc, in theory, but how did they measure this? Did the staff receive full medicals and mental health evaluations before and after the trial? Or was it perhaps a questionnaire? Where obviously only an idiot would report those things worsening.

7. Can we still do 5 days and get a 25% pay rise? That would suit me.

8. My company is full remote, and does four day weeks. Best thing that’s ever happened in my career, they will have to drag me out of this job. That in turn does seem to encourage me to put some more effort in, I don’t ever want to be thrown off this gravy train.

9. If it’s 4 days and being paid for 5, great.

   If it’s 4 days and 1 unpaid “can you just finish this of by end Friday?” day, not so great.

10. /u/batvisual5631 – you were arguing that a four-day week means people just doss off the same amount and there’ll be a loss of productivity – another example here proving that no, there’s not.

11. Working less one day per week and getting the same amount of money, why you should changed your employeer and move to five days a week and the same pay? Toxic enviroment, crappy colleagues? Who cares a long as I have the same pay check and 20% less work?

12. I’ve worked a lot of jobs in my life. Some of those could not do shorter or less days because the job was just to be there (security guard). But some of those jobs I could very easily get all my work done in 4 days. I don’t work at my max productivity because there is only so many things I need to get done and their is nothing worse than sitting at a desk for half a day on Friday because everything is already done.

    If productivity does not drop, and staff are doing better I see no reason more places shouldn’t move to a four day work week.

13. And this will be the last we hear of it… Evil can’t stop once it starts

14. I’ve recently changed my working pattern to do compressed hours, which is 4.5 days over 4 days (Tue-Fri) and I get paid 90% of my annual salary. I find I’m more productive on working days and it’s hugely beneficial to my mental health as I get to spend a day a week looking after my son and as a result, I don’t feel as guilty when I have to work/he goes to nursery. It’s a shame not more companies offer this.

15. I have a query:

    I’m all for a 4 day working week, I think society will benefit massively. However, working as a consultant I charge by the hour; so do I make my team work 37.5 hours over 4 days or increase costs to my client to cover the missing 7.5 hours per week?

    Genuinely interested what the industry standard is expecting to be

16. You know what really affected my mental health? Getting laid off. How is forcing companies to demand 20% less from their staff going to reduce the likelihood of that?

17. Meanwhile, ASDA workers who trialled it are complaining of burnout because of 11 hour days, claiming that the “extra” day of weekend is just being wasted due to needing to recover.

18. Rubbish adds just did their report which said all workers on the trial said they wanted to go back to 5 days a week due to fatigue for the longer 4 day shifts. This report is just to try justify more time off for those lazy overpaid civil service types.

19. Explain to me why this is a good thing.

    Public sector workers already un-productive are now working less and getting paid the same. How is that good for productivity which Starmer claims is the key to growth.

    And before u say, they work the same amount, how do u know that objectively? And the govt saying that they do doesn’t count cuz they would be judging themselves.

20. The issue will come when employers try it, realise staff can do the same amount working 20% fewer hours, they then go back to a 5 day week and reduce the staff numbers by 20%.

21. It took me a while to realise the headline meant *staff* turnover, not sales turnover.

22. Wow! Wonder if this will replicate! Best do another trial! /s

23. Wow, well done, you guys found that working less makes jobs more desirable and leaves workers happier! Must have been a difficult study.

    It doesn’t say much about the work place, as in whether they had to hire extra staff, productivity levels and in general how it helped the company.