In a major development, at least 200 companies in the United Kingdom have decided to give their employees a four-day workweek without lowering their pay. This decision affects more than 5,000 workers and is changing how people work in the UK. The idea started with companies in fields like charity, marketing, and technology, who are signing up to give their employees a better balance between work and personal life.

200 companies embrace the four-day week

These 200 companies, from different industries, believe that a shorter workweek can benefit both workers and businesses. According to a report by The Guardian, which quotes the 4 Day Week Foundation, sectors like charities, marketing, and technology firms are leading the way in supporting this new way of working.

Joe Ryle, the Foundation’s Campaign Director, mentioned, "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.” He believes that by working only four days a week, employees would have 50% more free time. "A four-day week gives people the freedom to live happier, more fulfilling lives,” he added.

A step towards changing traditional work patterns

The idea of a four-day workweek began with 30 companies in marketing, advertising, and public relations. After that, 29 organisations in charity, NGOs, and social care joined in, followed by 24 companies in technology, IT, and software. Slowly, businesses from other industries like consulting and management also started adopting the change, bringing the total to 200 companies. According to The Guardian, this change has helped companies attract more workers and improve productivity because they get the same results in fewer hours.

In London, 59 companies are leading this trend. These companies show that a four-day workweek, with no pay cut, can work well for both employees and employers.

Changing attitudes towards work in the post-covid world

The growing support for the four-day workweek shows a bigger change in how people think about their jobs. The Covid-19 pandemic played a big role in this shift because many workers started asking to work from home. Now, many employees want more flexibility, especially after experiencing the benefits of working remotely.

At the same time, some companies, especially in the US, are telling workers to come back to the office five days a week. Big companies like JPMorgan Chase and Amazon are pushing this. But many workers don't want to go back to office-based jobs. A famous example is when workers at Starling Bank quit after the CEO asked them to come back to the office more often.

Support from politicians and young workers

The idea of a four-day workweek has been supported by important people, especially from the Labour Party in the UK. However, the party has not yet officially made this policy their own since taking power.

A recent survey by Spark Market Research showed that younger workers are strongly in favour of having a shorter workweek. About 78% of people aged 18-34 in the UK think the four-day workweek will become normal in the next five years. Additionally, 65% of people in this age group said they don't want to go back to working full-time in an office.

According to Spark Managing Director Lynsey Carolan, "18-34 [year-olds], the core workforce of the next 50 years, are making their feelings known that they don’t intend to go back to old-fashioned working patterns. This group also says that mental health and improving their overall well-being are their top priorities, so a four-day week is a really meaningful benefit and a key enabler of their overall quality of life.”

The choice to adopt a four-day workweek in the UK shows that people's views about work are changing, especially among younger people. As more companies and workers see the benefits of having a better balance between work and personal life, the four-day workweek might spread to other countries. With more support from politicians, businesses, and workers, this change could become something normal for everyone in the future.