How a four-day week could boost the economy after coronavirus
4 years, 3 months ago

How a four-day week could boost the economy after coronavirus

The Independent  

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted work patterns around the world and challenged long-held assumptions about how and where we should work. In the UK, a four-day week could save businesses an estimated £104 billion annually, according to a survey by the Henley Business School of 505 business leaders and more than 2,000 employees. “The hospitality, arts and tourism sectors could definitely benefit from a four-day week.” New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern suggested in May that a four-day week could help boost domestic tourism. “It could be very positive for the UK as it to make up for all the lost international tourism.” It is important that a four-day week is implemented for the right reasons and not simply introduced to cut costs following the pandemic, Andrew Barnes, author of the book The 4 Day Week, says. 13m The number of work days lost last year due to stress, depression or anxiety Seventy-two per cent of people surveyed by the Henley Business School said they would consider a job more if they were offered a four-day week and 40 per cent said they would use the extra day to develop their professional skills.

Business Economy Pandemic Germany Employees Work Covid Cent More Time Working Barnes Marra Henley Business School Sick Days Sartain  business  uk  week  fourday  working  pandemic  days  employees  boost  coronavirus  economy  work  cent

History of this topic

Four-day work week: An idea whose time is all but sure to come
1 week, 5 days ago

Four-day work week: An idea whose time is all but sure to come

Live Mint  

In the old days, when a formal job usually meant a sarkari one, work flexibility meant something else. This week, the administration of Tokyo said that from April next year, it would give its staff the option of a four-day work week, with a full three days off. “We will review work styles," said the city’s governor Yuriko Koike, “with …

Angela Rayner has struck the wrong note on a four-day week
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Angela Rayner has struck the wrong note on a four-day week

The Independent  

Angela Rayner’s department has dropped its opposition to a local council experimenting with a four-day week for its staff. But Ms Rayner, who is local government secretary as well as deputy prime minister, accused the Tories of “micromanaging” local authorities. Now her department says: “Although it is not government policy to support a general move to a four-day working week …

There’s nothing to fear from the four day week – and employers know it
3 months, 3 weeks ago

There’s nothing to fear from the four day week – and employers know it

The Independent  

Opponents of the government’s proposals for a four-day week – part of its “Make Work Pay” initiative, which will be unveiled in Parliament this autumn – have been busy conjuring up images of France. First of all, it’s worth pointing out that the government has flatly denied any plans to impose plans for a four-day week upon employers – or …

A four-day working week would help those who need it most – women
3 months, 3 weeks ago

A four-day working week would help those who need it most – women

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Under new …

Four-day week can boost productivity, Labour insists
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Four-day week can boost productivity, Labour insists

The Telegraph  

A four-day week can boost productivity, a Labour minister has insisted after a business backlash over the proposals. Baroness Smith, the education minister, said allowing employees to work a week’s worth of hours in four days rather than five could help parents get back into work. Lady Smith, a minister in the New Labour years who returned to the frontbench …

Independent readers divided over the four-day working week
4 months ago

Independent readers divided over the four-day working week

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Here’s what you had to say: ‘There’s more to life …

Why is Greece introducing a six-day working week?
5 months, 1 week ago

Why is Greece introducing a six-day working week?

Al Jazeera  

Greece is adopting a controversial new policy that bucks the trend worldwide of moving towards fewer working days. But as several countries and companies globally mull the idea of adopting four-day working weeks to improve employees’ quality of life, why is Greece instead adding an additional day? The Greek leader said both the country’s ageing population – an issue he …

Greece is introducing a six-day work week: Where do other European countries stand?
6 months ago

Greece is introducing a six-day work week: Where do other European countries stand?

Firstpost  

Following years of economic strife, a struggling Greece is now looking to implement a six-day work week. Officially, the 40-hour work week remains, but employers can now require staff to work up to two unpaid hours per day for a limited period in exchange for more free time. These standards include a maximum working week of 48 hours, paid annual …

A four-day work week won't be on the horizon for decades
8 months, 1 week ago

A four-day work week won't be on the horizon for decades

Live Mint  

Billionaires and Senator Bernie Sanders agree on at least one thing: They see a four-day work week in America’s future. Some big technological innovations promise to make people more productive, but a four-day work week will not be the norm anytime soon. The Sanders bill also stipulates that employers can’t reduce pay if people work fewer hours as a result, …

I've started my first 9-5 job and the schedule is so crazy - I don't have the energy to cook dinner or see friends
1 year, 2 months ago

I've started my first 9-5 job and the schedule is so crazy - I don't have the energy to cook dinner or see friends

Daily Mail  

A college graduate broke down in tears as she revealed her struggle to adjust to her new nine-to -five work schedule in her first proper job. Brielle, who lives in New Jersey, shared that she was struggling to find time to have a life outside of her four-hour round commute and her long work days. Brielle, who moved to New …

Is the four-day week the future of work?
1 year, 6 months ago

Is the four-day week the future of work?

Al Jazeera  

Trials have shown that more flexible work hours benefit employees and companies. It’s possible to work fewer hours and keep the same level of pay and productivity, according to results of the largest-ever trial of a four-day workweek held in the United Kingdom. Traditional work routines were upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, and there’s increased demand for more flexible schedules. …

Will a four-day week get workers back?
1 year, 6 months ago

Will a four-day week get workers back?

BBC  

Will the four-day workweek get employees back in office? Yet, since beginning a four-day week in June 2022, Tyler Grange’s 100 workers with offices across six UK offices choose to work in person more often. Collaboration is often harder working from home – producing the amount of work required in a four-day week would be really difficult.” Crucially, says Ursell, …

Is a four-day workweek as good as it sounds? California employees share what it’s really like
1 year, 7 months ago

Is a four-day workweek as good as it sounds? California employees share what it’s really like

LA Times  

It’s after noon on a recent Wednesday, and the kitchen and patio at ThredUp’s Oakland headquarters are packed. “I think we’re going to see more interest in this from the policy side, as well as from employers that are looking for ways to keep workers, to attract new workers and to keep their workers healthier.” The snacks are free, but …

Britons expect four-day week to be ‘the norm’ by 2030, new poll shows
1 year, 7 months ago

Britons expect four-day week to be ‘the norm’ by 2030, new poll shows

The Independent  

A majority of British people expect a four-day week to be the norm in workplaces by 2030, new polling has found. Some 65 per cent of people said they would support the government “exploring the introduction of a four-day working week, with no loss of pay for workers”, with just 10 per cent opposed to the idea. “We have no …

4-day week: 'Too short-staffed to work'
1 year, 9 months ago

4-day week: 'Too short-staffed to work'

BBC  

Four-day workweek trial: The firms where it didn’t work Getty Images Nearly all firms that took part in the UK pilot are keeping reduced hours – but not all are fully embracing the new set-up. Getty Images Many businesses need to operate five days per week, which means it's harder to reduce staff days, or they need to hire extra …

Four-day working week in India? Experts optimistic after UK’s successful trial
1 year, 10 months ago

Four-day working week in India? Experts optimistic after UK’s successful trial

Live Mint  

The four-day workweek debate is back! Six months ago, Britain kickstarted an experiment in over 60 companies allowing almost 3,000 employees to work one day less per week while retaining the same salary. Meanwhile, the idea 4-day working week is gradually gaining popularity in India as well. Ujjal De, Founder and CEO of KarmaV said that the success of a …

World’s largest four-day work week trial finds few are going back
1 year, 10 months ago

World’s largest four-day work week trial finds few are going back

Live Mint  

The largest-ever trial of the four-day work week found that most UK companies participating are not returning to the five-day standard, and a third are ready to make that change permanent. Most companies adopted four-day schedules, although a small percentage opted for shorter five-day arrangements or, in the case of seasonal businesses like restaurants, an annualized four-day week model in …

Four-day workweek trial in UK: Shorter hours, happier employees
1 year, 10 months ago

Four-day workweek trial in UK: Shorter hours, happier employees

Al Jazeera  

Findings show companies’ reported revenue largely stayed the same, or even rose, over the June to December trial period. That was all while revenue reported by the participating companies largely stayed the same over the June to December trial period and even grew compared with the same six months a year earlier, according to the findings released this week. “We …

We're talking about the 4-day workweek — again. Is it a mirage or reality?
1 year, 10 months ago

We're talking about the 4-day workweek — again. Is it a mirage or reality?

NPR  

We're talking about the 4-day workweek — again. Enlarge this image toggle caption Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Welcome to a new NPR series where we spotlight the people and things making headlines — and the stories behind them. A 2022 Ernst & Young study into the "future of work" surveyed more than 500 U.S. C-suite and business leaders …

The climate benefits of a four-day workweek
1 year, 10 months ago

The climate benefits of a four-day workweek

BBC  

The climate benefits of a four-day workweek Steve Prezant/Alamy There's some promising evidence that a three-day weekend could help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions There's growing interest in the benefits of a four-day workweek for productivity and employee wellbeing, but the picture is more complicated when it comes to climate change. "Although climate benefits are the most challenging thing to …

Who gets a four-day workweek?
1 year, 11 months ago

Who gets a four-day workweek?

BBC  

How widespread could the four-day workweek really be? But such cultures can change, believes O’Connor: “We're starting to see examples of law firms moving to four-day weeks by switching from billing by the hour to billing by project value, or by reducing their non-billable overheads so that their teams are more focused on client work.” The viability of this shortened …

Four-day work week could help avoid burnout and boost productivity
1 year, 11 months ago

Four-day work week could help avoid burnout and boost productivity

Live Mint  

Boosting flexibility at work through changes such as a four-day week may both raise productivity and reverse the growing trend toward burnout, according to a panel of experts at the World Economic Forum in Davos. A four-day workweek for everyone may also help to make women, who often work two or three days, more financially independent and lead men to …

Will a 4-day work week be successful in India? Here is what experts think
2 years ago

Will a 4-day work week be successful in India? Here is what experts think

Live Mint  

The four-day workweek seems a novel idea. But in a country like India where a lot of organizations are yet to accept the 5-day week format, a 4-day workweek sounds like a distant dream. Experts have weighed-in the pros and cons 4-day workweek work in India Sushma Sharma, Director - Career Success Solutions, LaunchMyCareer said workplace happiness is a combination …

UK: 100 Firms Back Permanent Four-Day Work Week With No Loss Of Pay
2 years ago

UK: 100 Firms Back Permanent Four-Day Work Week With No Loss Of Pay

ABP News  

In a move that may bring about a change in Britain's approach to work, a total of 100 UK companies have signed up for a permanent four-day working week with no loss of salary payments to their employees. One of the two biggest companies to have signed up for the four-day week campaign include Atom Bank and Awin. Globally, more …

Full list of 100 companies pledging switch to 4-day week with no pay cuts
2 years ago

Full list of 100 companies pledging switch to 4-day week with no pay cuts

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Over a hundred companies in the UK have signed up …

Five reasons why the four-day week won’t work
2 years, 4 months ago

Five reasons why the four-day week won’t work

Live Mint  

The four-day working week continues to gain momentum, with pilots taking place in the UK, Ireland, US, Canada and Australia. These schemes, which are being driven by non-profit coalition 4 Day Week Global, are supposed to “benefit everyone” by raising workers’ productivity, improving work-life balance and happiness levels, and reducing unemployment. To even maintain these productivity levels while working four …

The five-day work week might be fading away
2 years, 5 months ago

The five-day work week might be fading away

The Hindu  

A three-day weekend is not beyond anyone’s dream, and it may soon be a reality. Most trials of a four-day work week seem to increase or at least keep constant worker productivity. On the four-day work week, the new codes stipulate the requirement of a minimum of 48 hours per week; hence the employee will have to work for 12 …

Nearly three-quarters of employees support a four-day working week, says study
2 years, 5 months ago

Nearly three-quarters of employees support a four-day working week, says study

The Independent  

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about …

Are 4-day workweeks, flexible hours the future of full-time?
2 years, 5 months ago

Are 4-day workweeks, flexible hours the future of full-time?

Live Mint  

A four-day workweek sounds appealing to workers. Meanwhile, 4 Day Week Global, a nonprofit foundation associated with Oxford University, is piloting a six-month trial of a four-day workweek “with no loss of pay for employees.” More than three dozen companies in the U.S. and Canada are participating in the experiment, with a total of 150 organizations and 7,000 employees involved …

Are 4-day workweeks, flexible hours the future of full-time?
2 years, 5 months ago

Are 4-day workweeks, flexible hours the future of full-time?

Associated Press  

A four-day workweek sounds appealing to workers. Meanwhile, 4 Day Week Global, a nonprofit foundation associated with Oxford University, is piloting a six-month trial of a four-day workweek “with no loss of pay for employees.” More than three dozen companies in the U.S. and Canada are participating in the experiment, with a total of 150 organizations and 7,000 employees involved …

Belgium gives workers the right to request a four-day week
2 years, 10 months ago

Belgium gives workers the right to request a four-day week

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Belgian workers have been given …

The 4-Day Week Is Flawed. Workers Still Want It
2 years, 10 months ago

The 4-Day Week Is Flawed. Workers Still Want It

Wired  

When New York-based digital consultancy Elephant Ventures switched to a four-day workweek in August 2020, client partner Eric Harkrader got way more efficient. He and his colleagues joked that their condensed workdays felt like a 1990s soda commercial: “It’s extreme!” By the end of his four-day week he felt shattered. Employees generally approved; some saw it as a mixed blessing, …

Is the four-day week too good to be true?
2 years, 11 months ago

Is the four-day week too good to be true?

The Telegraph  

Watching closely is a couple some 11,000 miles away in a penthouse apartment in Auckland. Together, Andrew Barnes and Charlotte Lockhart run 4 Day Week Global, a not-for-profit campaign to encourage the world to move to the shorter working model – and they won’t rest until we’re all resting three days a week. “But there we are…” He is confident …

Is a four-day week enough to reduce work stress?
3 years, 3 months ago

Is a four-day week enough to reduce work stress?

The Independent  

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about …

Editorial: What if every week was a four-day workweek?
3 years, 3 months ago

Editorial: What if every week was a four-day workweek?

LA Times  

It’s Labor Day and many workers are enjoying a rare long weekend. There’s a small but growing movement in the United States dedicated to making that happen by encouraging companies to try scaling back work hours while maintaining worker pay. That wasn’t specifically a study of a four-day workweek, as many of the workers just clocked less time on the …

Without careful design, a four-day work week could make inequality worse
3 years, 5 months ago

Without careful design, a four-day work week could make inequality worse

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. With these benefits and challenges in …

From reducing carbon footprint, to easing pandemic woes, how four-day working week is gaining ground
3 years, 6 months ago

From reducing carbon footprint, to easing pandemic woes, how four-day working week is gaining ground

Firstpost  

The five-day workweek is a solution to a century-old problem of increasing production on assembly lines and boosting consumer activity, but there hasn’t been much improvement in labour productivity in India since 2016 Over 75 percent young Indian workers do not want to return to full-time office work post-pandemic preferring a remote or hybrid model instead, a report found, shortly …

4 Reasons We Should Have 4-Day Workweeks, According To Research
3 years, 8 months ago

4 Reasons We Should Have 4-Day Workweeks, According To Research

Huff Post  

Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images Sen. Bernie Sanders is pushing for shorter work weeks. “What ultimately was lost was just a bunch of bad meetings that people felt obligated to be in.” As a result, The Wanderlust Group made the switch to four-day workweeks permanent. “On average, job postings offering a four-day workweek receive 15% more applications than other job …

How would a four-day work week impact us?
3 years, 10 months ago

How would a four-day work week impact us?

Live Mint  

This week, the Labour Ministry of the government of India announced that under new labour codes, it would allow companies the flexibility of creating a four-day work week, something that global companies like Microsoft have experimented with in certain markets. France has flirted with the four-day, 32-hour work week, and countries like Finland and New Zealand are currently toying with …

Four-day week could help solve Covid economic crisis, say European MPs
4 years, 1 month ago

Four-day week could help solve Covid economic crisis, say European MPs

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The letter, which was also sent to German chancellor Angela Merkel, Spanish prime minister Pedro …

The daily grind led to a four-day week and a new approach to work-life balance
4 years, 3 months ago

The daily grind led to a four-day week and a new approach to work-life balance

ABC  

It was a magical year in Berlin that made urban planner Bryn Davies realise there was more to life than the daily grind. "Ever since we gave our staff Wednesdays off, we've doubled our revenue, tripled our profits, slashed the amount of sick days taken and really improved every metric we measured," she says. "If you think about it, many …

Four-day working week in public sector could create 500,000 jobs, says thinktank report
4 years, 3 months ago

Four-day working week in public sector could create 500,000 jobs, says thinktank report

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The public sector should switch to a four-day week to create …

Coronavirus: Majority of Tory voters want government to consider four-day working week
4 years, 5 months ago

Coronavirus: Majority of Tory voters want government to consider four-day working week

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Campaigners for a four-day working week now believe the health crisis and looming economic downturn …

The Pandemic Could Finally Usher In The 4-Day Workweek
4 years, 5 months ago

The Pandemic Could Finally Usher In The 4-Day Workweek

Huff Post  

Government employees of the small municipality of Guysborough, Nova Scotia, have worked half the week in the office and half the week at home for the last few months in order to reduce contact with each other and limit the spread of the coronavirus. But as wages stagnated over the last 40 years and more people involuntarily worked part time …

Coronavirus: Rishi Sunak urged to consider four-day working week in response to pandemic
4 years, 6 months ago

Coronavirus: Rishi Sunak urged to consider four-day working week in response to pandemic

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The calls come after Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s prime minister, suggested employers could consider a …

Four-day work week could be made possible by the experience of working mums
4 years, 6 months ago

Four-day work week could be made possible by the experience of working mums

ABC  

Adam Hart juggles leading his team of seven staff in a growing business with the demands of raising two young children. "They work out great ways to be really productive and really effective with their time management," Mr Hart says. "I really encourage people to think about if they're an employer and in a position to do so, to think …

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