Four Day Week Trials: Thousands of UK Workers to Get Extra Time off Without Pay Sacrifice

The second of the UK’s four-day week trials commenced on Monday, 4 November 2024, marking the first under Labour’s leadership. This trial will see thousands of employees test out a four-day workweek, hoping to convince their employers that the shift is beneficial. 

Below, we provide details about the trial and discuss the pros and cons of the initiative. We then explore what the UK 4-day work week could mean for part-timers, asses Labour’s position on the topic, and discuss how working from home could tie in.

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Labour’s First Four-Day Week Trials

Initially consisting of 17 organisations before rising to 21, the new four-day week trials launched earlier this week are set to run for six months, concluding in May. The 4 Day Week Campaign is leading the research and will analyse data collected from the trials before presenting its findings to Labour next Summer.

Crate Brewery and the British Society for Immunology will be among the 17 companies initially participating. A four-day workweek and a nine-day fortnight will be tested, where contractual hours will be reduced without a reduction in pay. Ultimately, the trial will look to see whether this shift provides enough benefits to make it a serious consideration for all UK businesses going forward.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Four-Day Workweek

For those in the know, the new four-day week trials aren’t the first of their kind. Previously, in 2022, 2,900 employees across 61 companies participated in a similar experiment. Immediately after the trial, 92% of the participating employers decided to maintain the working schedule, with 18 making it permanent.

The employer response was attributed to the improvements in the workforce’s well-being. While sleep issues and anxiety were reportedly reduced, 71% of workers claimed they experienced less burnout. This could be why companies saw a reduction in sick days and staff turnover by 65% and 57%, respectively. And while overall business performance held steady, some companies actually saw a modest revenue increase of 1.4%.

However, it wasn’t all plain sailing for those favouring a UK four-day workweek. While 92% of businesses continued the initiative immediately after the trial, only 29 of the initial 61 did a year later.

Unfortunately, disadvantages of the four-day workweek were later found. If employers implemented the initiative conditionally, like requiring staff to work the same total hours over fewer days, the benefits would be limited. Take Asda, who did this exact thing, and workers actually experienced increased work-related stress.

As such, while the initiative may produce several benefits, the disadvantages of the four-day workweek mustn’t be forgotten. This is especially true when employers aren’t able to implement it correctly (i.e. reducing the weekly contracted hours rather than taking the five-day week and squeezing it into four). To ensure companies reap the benefits of this measure, they should look at how other employers have successfully implemented it.

How Does the Four-Day Work Week Impact Part-Timers?

If the four-day week trials succeed, an interesting conversation that arises concerns how the concept would affect part-time workers. Should full-time individuals receive no wage decrease despite a reduction in contracted hours, those working part-time may experience a proportionate pay rise. Failure to do this could lead to employers facing employment tribunal claims over less favourable treatment.

Consequently, the UK 4-day workweek could see employers offer reduced working hours to account for the pay rise and ensure wages remain the same. Furthermore, if the working week is reduced to four days, calculations concerning holiday entitlements would be affected. The same would likely apply to other benefits linked to working hours, such as pension contributions, health benefits, and overtime rates. As such, employers should consistently apply entitlements to maintain parity with full-time employees to minimise the risk of legal action.

Overall, employers must be well-organised and on top of their administrative duties. While the initiative could benefit them, implementing it incorrectly could leave them open to claims.

What is the Labour Policy for a 4-Day Week?

With the new four-day week trials being Labour’s first, people may be curious about the government’s stance on the matter. Unfortunately, the Labour government hasn’t yet adopted the concept as one of its official policies. It’s been speculated this is so they don’t provide the Conservative opposition with “political ammunition”.

That being said, readers can feel optimistic about its potential inclusion in the future. Prior to Labour taking over the government, they outright gave their support in favour of a four-day week policy. 

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is one of the most vocal supporters, having previously said, “If you can deliver within a four-day working week, then why not?”. She added, “Flexible working is no threat to business, no threat to the economy, in fact, it would boost productivity”.

And Labour aren’t shy when it comes to boosting working practices. The new government reinforced its commitment to flexible working rights through its Employment Rights Bill, asserting that productivity would increase if working-from-home policies were introduced. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer explained that “making the most of the flexible working practices” could address the growing “presenteeism” concerns.

Four-Day Week Trials Prove Unsuccessful, What Next?

If the four-day week trials prove unsuccessful or are at least not 100% effective, the shift to flexibility shouldn’t cease. The UK 4-day workweek is just one example of how employers can provide better flexibility for the workforce. Other examples include working from home and altering employees’ start and finish times.

Regardless of the arrangement offered, countless studies have shown that flexibility provides numerous employee and employer benefits. From an employee’s perspective, the primary benefit is improved well-being, with reduced stress and anxiety. As for the employer, they could see improved productivity, better staff retention and enhanced revenue.

Under UK law, eligible employees have the right to make flexible working requests. If handled incorrectly, this could leave employers open to employment tribunal claims. 

If you have any questions about making flexible working requests or believe your employment rights have been breached, contact Redmans Solicitors now. As employment law experts, we can answer your queries and analyse your circumstances before providing specialist advice.

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