More than 3,300 workers at 70 UK firms will be working four days a week with no salary cut from June 13. The largest pilot program, which will last for six months, involves thousands of workers, ranging from a local fish and chip shop to huge financial firms.
The program is organized by the non-profit 4 Day Week Global autonomy, a think tank, and by the 4 Day Week UK Campaign in collaboration with Cambridge University, Oxford University, and Boston College.
During the trial, employees will be paid 100% for 80% of the hours of their work, with the goal of increasing productivity.
In several nations, calls to shorten the work week have gained steam after the COVID-19 pandemic. Calls for increased flexibility have only gotten stronger as thousands of employees moved to remote work– reducing onerous travel time and costs.
Researchers said that a similar trial of a four-day week in Iceland was an overwhelming success that resulted in many workers from other countries demanding the same. The trials took place between 2019 and 2020, in which workers were paid the same amount for shorter hours. Researchers said that work productivity improved in the majority of workplaces.
The 4-Day Week Campaign stated in a press release that similar Government-backed trials would take place in Spain and Scotland later this year.
Meanwhile, India too has some similar plans on this front. As the Labour Ministry is now considering giving flexibility to firms to have four working days instead of five or six.