More than 200 UK organisations, including Elliott and Company Consulting Engineers, Melville Housing Association and Synergy Vision, have permanently adopted a four-day working week with no loss of pay.
Other employers that have permanently adopted the working model over the past month include Queercircle, Alliance Publishing Trust, Paul Morgan and Associates Wealth Management, Schuco, Advice Cloud, AWO and PR Dispatch.
The four-day week employer accreditation scheme is run by the 4 Day Week Foundation, which has analysed the 200 organisations. It found that the sectors with the highest number of four-day week employers are marketing, advertising and PR (30), charity, social care and NGOs (29), technology, IT and software (24), and business, consulting and management (22).
Employers in sectors including creative arts and design (18), engineering and manufacturing (12), recruitment and HR (12), entertainment (9), accountancy, banking and finance (8) and property development, trades and construction (6) have also been accredited.
Additionally, 59 of the 200 employers are based in London, followed by 27 in south east England, 25 in Scotland, 24 in south west England and 15 in north west England. Collectively, accredited employers employ just over 5,000 staff, although the foundation estimates that the total number of UK workers on a four-day week is much higher.
Its latest trial taking place this year involves 17 employers that will either run a four-day week or a nine-day fortnight. Trials are tracked by academics at the University of Cambridge, Boston College and the Autonomy Institute, which report back on the benefits and challenges employers experience. Its first one in 2022 still has more than half of the participants still working under the arrangements 18 months later.
The 4 Day Week Foundation has plans to run at least three new four-day week pilots in 2025.
Joe Ryle, campaign director of the 4 Day Week Foundation, said: “With 50% more free time, a four-day week gives people the freedom to live happier, more fulfilling lives. As hundreds of British employers 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. 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.”
