Employee Benefits poll: Nearly a third of employers say they are open to the idea of shifting to a four-day working week, while more than a quarter have already made the transition to a more flexible hourly model.
While nearly half (43%) of respondents to an online survey remained adamant they aren’t intending to move away from a conventional five-day working week, it is clear the experience of more flexible and hybrid ways of working during the pandemic is shifting opinions.
More than a quarter (28%) of respondents said their organisation was already operating a flexible working week, and a further 30% said they were considering moving to a reduced-working week policy.
In January, a six-month trial co-ordinated by 4 Day Week Global was launched to evaluate the pros and cons for employers of moving to a reduced, four-day working week, with the pilot set to get underway in the second half of this year.
The pandemic has seen many organisations re-evaluate their working hours as well as how and where employees work.
Just in the last month, for example, Employee Benefits has reported how mechanical component supplier Accu, car insurer iGO4, and data migration provider Wandisco have all moved to a four-day model, with mobile game developer Hutch set to be taking part in the six-month pilot.
As Shaun Rutland, chief executive of Hutch, said of the pilot at the time: “It has the potential to improve productivity and overall employee health, create stronger families and communities, and improve gender equality to help create a more sustainable work environment.”