More and more UK companies are moving to a permanent four-day workweek without any pay cuts. According to the latest update from the Four-Day Week Foundation, 200 companies have already adopted the model, employing a total of more than 5000 people. The initiative is gaining popularity across a range of industries, including the not-for-profit sector, marketing, technology, creative professions and engineering, reported the The Independent.
The rise of the four-day workweek coincides with a broader shift in attitudes towards work. A recent survey found that around 6% of UK workers are already working a four-day week, allowing around 1,5 million people to benefit from the new approach. Public support is also growing: 58% of respondents believe that a three-day weekend will be the norm by 2030, according to a Survation poll.
South Cambridgeshire Council has become the first local authority in the UK to trial a four-day week, introducing the model to more than 600 staff. Joe Ryle, director of the Four-Day Week Foundation, called the move “a win for both workers and employers.” The foundation plans to launch at least three more pilots in 2025.
Younger workers are particularly supportive of moving away from the traditional five-day workweek. Spark Market Research found that 78% of Britons aged 18-34 expect a four-day week to become common within the next five years. In addition, 65% of respondents in this age group expressed a reluctance to return to a full office schedule.
While the four-day workweek has been met with enthusiasm, it has also faced criticism from some politicians and business leaders. The opposition Conservative Party's shadow business secretary, Kevin Hollinrake, has warned that such changes could increase costs for companies and slow economic growth. Government officials have stressed that they have no plans to force the four-day workweek, leaving the decision to employers. Under current law, employees have the right to request flexible working hours, but employers are not obliged to agree.
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