New data has highlighted that almost three-quarters (72%) of UK office workers said they would prefer a four-day working week while still receiving the same salary and having the same amount of work to do.
The Changing behaviours of a flexible workforce in 2022 and beyond research, which was commissioned by smart locker provider Velocity Smart Technology and surveyed 1,000 UK office workers, explored how offices will change in 2022 and how business leaders can support more diverse working practices in order to retain employees and keep up with other employers.
Just over half (52%) believe productivity would increase if their organisation introduced a four-day week, while 34% think it would stay the same.
In addition, 34% said their mental health has improved as a result of more flexible work options, however 21% believe it has got worse over the past couple of years.
Anthony Lamoureux, chief executive officer at Velocity Smart Technology, commented that while there has been debate about the impact on productivity of flexible working over the past couple of years, the research confirms that employees are confident in their abilities to get the job done, even with a reduction in working days.
He explained that the four-day week challenges the current model of work and helps businesses move away from measuring how long people are at work, to a sharper focus on the output being produced.
“Business leaders and IT directors need to ask themselves if they could get more from their teams in less time because they are better rested. The launch of the four-day week pilot programme in the UK represents an exciting moment of change for employers and employees. For an employer to thrive in this new paradigm it needs to evolve the support provided to remote employees and ensure they’re equipped to give their all,” Lamoureux said.