As the world evolves, so too must our approach to work. In the UK, we face a paradox: British workers put in some of the longest full-time hours across Europe, yet we boast one of the least productive economies.
We are working longer but achieving less. This dissonance is not only unfair, but it is also unsustainable. The time has come to rethink the way we work, and a four-day working week presents a clear path forward.
Recent research from around the world has consistently shown that a four-day week, with no loss of pay, would not only benefit workers but would also be a win-win for employers and the economy. In 2023, the results of the world’s biggest ever pilot were announced, and the evidence is compelling.
61 UK companies and over 3,000 workers took part, and at the end of the pilot, nearly every organisation involved decided to continue with the four-day week. The results were staggering: increased productivity, improved employee well-being and lower turnover rates. In fact, the business case for a four-day week is stronger than ever.
A four-day week gives workers 50 percent more free time. This extra time is not just for rest, but for pursuing personal interests, spending time with loved ones, or even taking up new skills. The mental and physical benefits of this additional free time cannot be overstated.
‘Not a pipe dream, but a practical solution’
It is widely recognised that well-rested workers are happier, healthier, and more productive. As we move further into the 21st century, we need to ask ourselves: why are we still holding onto the outdated 9-to-5, five-day work schedule that was established over a century ago?
The benefits of greater productivity in the economy as a result of new technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) must be passed back to workers in more free leisure time. The world has changed, and so should our approach to work.
The four-day week is not a pipe dream. It is a practical solution that has already been tested and proven in real-world environments. Hundreds of British companies, alongside one local council, have shown that it can be a win-win for both employers and employees.
The benefits for employers are particularly clear: businesses report higher productivity, higher levels of engagement, higher job retention rates and a more motivated workforce. In short, when workers have more time to rest and recharge, they return to work more focused, more efficient and more committed.
The government’s flagship Employment Rights Bill is an important first step, enshrining the right to flexible working for employees and improving workers rights across the board. This a positive move but needs to go further.
The current proposals would only allow workers to compress their hours into fewer days, but it would not reduce the total number of hours worked. In other words, workers would still be expected to work the same number of hours, just over a shorter period. What is missing from the Bill is at least a commitment to exploring a true four-day working week.
‘A four-day week is the future of work’
I know the government is committed about improving the lives of workers, boosting productivity and economic growth, so looking at the evidence and begin the process of a phased transition to a four day week is the next step.
This is why I have put forward an amendment to the Bill, which would commit the government to establish a new Working Time Council.
This council would be given the task of providing advice and making recommendations on how we could transition from a five-day working week to a four-day working week, without any loss of pay for workers. It would include representatives of businesses, trade unions, government departments and employment experts.
The benefits of a four-day week are clear, and it’s an opportunity we can’t afford to ignore. By supporting my amendment and committing to the exploration of a four-day working week, we can build a better, more productive future for workers and employers alike.
Increasing productivity. Reducing employee burn-out. This is the future of work, so let’s get ahead of the curve now.
Flexible working campaigners say the current proposals around flexible working contained in the Employment Right's Bill do not go far enough
Around a dozen Labour Party MPs are pushing for a four-day working week to be included in the Government’s Employment Right’s Bill and have tabled an amendment that would commit the Government to exploring a wider transition across the economy from a five-day working week to a four-day working week, with no impact on pay.
The campaign is being supported by the 4 Day Week Foundation, who are pushing for what they say is a ‘genuinely shorter working week which we know workers desperately want’.
The amendment calls for a new Working Time Council to be established within six months of the legislation passing that would provide advice and make recommendations on how a transition could be made and include representatives of businesses, trade unions, government departments and employment experts.
Flexible working campaigners say the current proposals around flexible working contained in the Employment Right’s Bill do not go far enough and only allow workers to request compressed hours rather than reduced working hours which the 4 Day Week Foundation argues is crucial for improving work-life balance and also maintaining productivity.
It comes after last month it was reported that two hundred UK companies had signed up for a permanent four-day working week for all their employees with no loss of pay, a move that affects more than 5,000 people, with charities, marketing and technology firms among the best-represented, according to the latest update from the 4 Day Week Foundation.
Peter Dowd, Labour MP for Bootle, who is lead proposer of the amendment, said:“The benefits of greater productivity in the economy as a result of new technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) must be passed back to workers in more free leisure time.
“A four-day, 32 hour working week is the future of work and I urge my party to back this amendment so we can begin a much wider transition.”
Maya Ellis, Labour MP for Ribble Valley, said: “Businesses and public sector organisations are increasingly adopting four-day weeks.
“Data shows that working four days leads to greater productivity than five. That means in public organisations for example, that we can get through a higher volume of tasks, creating the increase in capacity we so desperately need to see in our public services.
“I hope our government can be brave enough to take the first steps now, in what I believe will one day be considered the norm.”
Joe Ryle, Campaign Director of the 4 Day Week Foundation, said: “Compressing the same amount of hours into four-days rather than five is not the same thing as a true four-day working week.
“What is missing from the Bill is a commitment to explore a genuinely shorter working week which we know workers desperately want.
“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.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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