Workers in the UK could soon have the right to request a 4-day work week. This change could be a major step in the future of the workplace.
The Government has outlined a potential shift that builds on the long history of changing workplace practices.
Brief History
In history, people have taken regular breaks to rest, pray, or take care of personal matters. This has been the case from ancient Rome, to the French Revolution, and even to the Han Dynasty.
In the early 1900s, shifted from a standard of taking one day off per ten hours worked to two days a week. Businesses that recognized the importance of leisure and rest for their workers were responsible for this shift. A cotton mill in New England, US, was the first to introduce a five-day work week. This was to accommodate Jewish workers who needed to observe the Sabbath.
Through history, the work has evolved to meet changing social needs
In 1926, Henry Ford established a precedent when he closed his factories two days a week. He found that workers who were well rested were happier and more productive.
In 1940, passed the Fair Labor Standards Act, which mandated that a 40-hour maximum workweek be adhered to. This is the structure as we know it today.
It feels like we’re ready for a quantum leap in progress.
It’s certainly not for everyone, but it’s also not a requirement.
Many critics of changing the structure of work, whether through flexibility, compressed work hours, or shorter workweeks, argue that these changes will not work for everyone.
But hasn’t this always been the situation?
Not all employees have the luxury of taking a weekend or summer off.
This proposal by the government does not offer any choice but instead imposes a rigidity.
Our own moulds
The right to request compressed working hours is similar to the flexible working legislation. It allows individuals to customize their schedules according to their lifestyles. Why not give UK employees the right to request flexible hours?
It’s not about forcing everyone to fit into the same mold, but giving them more control over their work-life balance.
This flexibility is effective. Shorter workweeks have already made a significant impact in some unexpected places.
While some trials have failed, the overall success of these compressed-hours supermarkets is impressive.
Compressed hours, for example, have improved the work-life balance of many employees and made them more financially secure. The 2022 pilot for a four-day work week showed 90% of participating organizations continued the policy. More than half made it permanent in 2024.
Change is needed.
Pause for a minute and consider why the workplace desperately needs a bold change.
Today’s workforce faces two major challenges:
- employee wellbeing
- retention
In just six years, the UK workplace sickness costs have risen by 30 percent.
British businesses reported an astonishing 55% increase in sick leaves by 2024. However, the 2022 four-day working week trial revealed 82% of employers experienced improvements in staff well-being. Less hours means less burnout and stress.
It’s not just about improving productivity, but also about creating a thriving and sustainable workforce.
The retention challenge
In 2024, a href=”https://www.ciphr.com/infographics/challenges-and-priorities for employers in-2024#::text=Over%20half%20(51%25)%20of%20HR%20professionals%20taking%20part%20in,challenge%20to%20overcome%20in%202024. In 2024, half of HR professionals reported retention as their biggest issue, with three in ten employees leaving the job annually.
In the coming 12 months, 25% of employees say they are likely going to leave their current jobs. This is a dramatic increase from only 16% in 2020.
The data still shows that there is a solution. In the study on the four-day work week, 50% of employers reported a reduced turnover. And the 2024 study showed soaring turnover of 39%. It was also encouraging to see a 53% rise in the number of new applicants who wanted to work for companies that offered this flexible model.
Financial benefits are also compelling. Imagine if a UK average employer with 1,000 staff could save almost four million pounds a year by reducing their turnover by 30%.
Change is coming faster than you think
has already conducted trials of four-day work weeks on six continents: the USA, Ireland Australia, New Zealand South Africa Brazil Germany Portugal and the UK.
These studies all show that the benefits of a four-day work week are obvious: 63% find it easier to recruit talent and 64% report reduced burnout. It is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the benefits of a 4-day work week.
We are creating a more humane and sustainable approach to the workplace
We are on the brink of another major shift in our thinking about work. It took 30 years to fully embrace the two-day weekends in the early twentieth century.
Over the last century, almost every aspect of our society has changed. Our approach to work hours should not be any different.
It is impossible to ignore the benefits of improved wellbeing, increased retention and enhanced productivity.
Empowering people is the future of work
In the years leading up to 2025, a four-day work week is not a radical concept. It’s just a continuation of what we have achieved over thousands of centuries.
Work has always adapted over time to the changing needs and wants of society. Today’s workplace is no different.
Now is the right time to act.
We are not just providing more flexibility by allowing employees to request a 4-day work week. We show that we value the health of our employees, their time and their contribution.
We are creating a more humane and sustainable approach to work, one that empowers people, strengthens business, and creates a better future for everyone.
