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“The biggest four-day week pilot to take place anywhere in the world.”

  • by JW

Exeter company declares: “All our inputs – calls, meetings, interviews, are up… quite simply everyone is doing more in less time.”

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There’s been more and more interest shown in the four-day week:

The Case for a Four Day Week: a practical road map – Vision Group for Sidmouth (November 2020)

A shorter working week in a post-pandemic world – Vision Group for Sidmouth (January 2022)

Moving to a shorter working week – Vision Group for Sidmouth (April 2022)

And now it’s really happening:

More than 3,000 workers at 70 companies are to begin a four-day week with no loss of pay in a trial lasting six months. Organisers say it is the biggest four-day week pilot to take place anywhere in the world.

Firms taking part will give full pay pay to workers for 80 per cent of their time in exchange for a commitment to maintain at least 100 per cent productivity. The trial is being organised by 4 Day Week Global in partnership with think tank Autonomy, the 4 Day Week UK Campaign, and researchers at Cambridge University, Oxford University and Boston College.

70 companies begin trial of four-day week with no loss of pay – Devon Live

And it’s happening in Exeter:

Girling Jones, a small construction recruitment firm in Exeter switched to a four-day week in January, but has also signed up to the trial. Productivity is up and so are profits, the boss and company founder Simon Girling said. “All our inputs – calls, meetings, interviews, are up… quite simply everyone is doing more in less time,” he added.

The workers getting 100% pay for 80% of the hours – BBC News

AN office worker who has moved to four days a week on FULL pay says she loves the extra time off – and it makes her work harder too. Ellen Andreassen says she is “more motivated” and also sleeps better after her boss cut her hours by a fifth without reducing her salary. Ellen  said: “I’m definitely more motivated. One thing I’ve noticed is sleep. I’m sleeping a lot better and getting up is a lot easier.”

Her colleague Josh Cockerill said he enjoys spending an extra day a week with his young daughter and it saves him money on nursery fees. He said: “You know the fact that you’ve got a day off in the middle of the week, it gives you more incentive to work harder towards that day off.”

I work four days a week – I get 100% of my pay even though I only do 80% of the hours | The Sun

Here’s more from the Exeter-based company:

Work For Us – Girling Jones

photo:

My Wall Street Journal piece on the business benefits of t… | Flickr