Labour's John McDonnell 'in talks with prominent economist' over four-day working week inquiry
6 years, 4 months ago

Labour's John McDonnell 'in talks with prominent economist' over four-day working week inquiry

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 John McDonnell has reportedly held talks with a prominent economist over an independent inquiry into cutting the five-day working week to four. Debates over slashing the working week were reignited earlier this year, after the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, Frances O’Grady, said it was an “ambition” for her organisation. According to the Financial Times, Mr McDonnell has held discussions with the crossbench peer Lord Skidelsky, who told the newspaper he had proposed the idea of an inquiry into “the feasibility of a shorter working week”. A Labour source refused to comment on any discussions between Mr McDonnell and Lord Skidelsky, but a spokesperson said: “A four-day working week is not party policy.”

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History of this topic

A four-day week? Soon, we may not work at all
Trending News
1 month, 1 week ago

A four-day week? Soon, we may not work at all

The Independent  

The world of work is in a state of flux. JP Morgan is ordering its staff back into the office five days a week, resulting in a hunt for extra space to accommodate the 14,000 desks needed at its London Canary Wharf headquarters. The mayor of Greater Manchester argues it could serve as an antidote to technology’s onslaught and, by …

Labour rebels push for four-day week in employment rights drive
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Labour rebels push for four-day week in employment rights drive

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 A group of Labour rebels are pushing for Angela Rayner to …

Four-day working week adopted by more than 200 UK companies
2 months ago

Four-day working week adopted by more than 200 UK companies

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 More than 200 UK companies …

ANDREW NEIL: The four-day week is a culture based on folly and built on fantasy. If Labour backs it, it will be the ruin of us
2 months, 2 weeks ago

ANDREW NEIL: The four-day week is a culture based on folly and built on fantasy. If Labour backs it, it will be the ruin of us

Daily Mail  

There’s a head of steam building up for a four-day working week, backed by various ‘progressive’ pressure groups and think-tanks, Leftish local councils, much of the Labour Party and, naturally, public-sector trade unions, enjoying a new lease of life under an indulgent Labour government. At a time when Britain’s fundamental economic weakness is low productivity, which is impeding economic growth …

Chidambaram Pitches For 4-Day Workweek Amid Debate Over Narayan Murthy's 70-Hour Workweek Demand
3 months ago

Chidambaram Pitches For 4-Day Workweek Amid Debate Over Narayan Murthy's 70-Hour Workweek Demand

ABP News  

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram has demanded a four-day workweek for a better work-life balance. This comes amid a debate over Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy's demand for a six-day working week. 12… https://t.co/EOOer6AgnK — Karti P Chidambaram December 22, 2024 "When PM Modi is working that hard, the only way to show our appreciation for what's happening around us is by …

Law firm says staff are fitter, happier, more productive after switch to four-day week
4 months, 1 week ago

Law firm says staff are fitter, happier, more productive after switch to four-day week

ABC  

As the founder and director of a law firm, Jim Cosgriff is no stranger to long hours spent toiling in the office. Happier, more productive employees The business in Echuca trialled a four-day work week where staff worked 34 hours across four days but were paid for a full 38-hour, five-day week for about six months last year. The women …

Labour minister slaps down union over '1970s' demand for a four-day week for civil servants: Emma Reynolds blasts PCS over call for an extra day off to prevent workers pulling a sickie
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Labour minister slaps down union over '1970s' demand for a four-day week for civil servants: Emma Reynolds blasts PCS over call for an extra day off to prevent workers pulling a sickie

Daily Mail  

A senior Labour minister slapped down a trade union today over its demand that civil servants be allowed to work a four-day week without losing and pay. Pensions Minister Emma Reynolds lashed out at the Public and Commercial Services Union over its call for government workers to get a three-day weekend to facilitate 'one day of chores, one day of …

Angela Rayner has struck the wrong note on a four-day week
4 months, 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 …

Angela Rayner opens door to four-day working week in local councils
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Angela Rayner opens door to four-day working week in local councils

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 government is no longer objecting to a local council’s four-day working week policy Conservative …

Four-day working week under Labour: How it could work and who is supporting it
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Four-day working week under Labour: How it could work and who is supporting it

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines 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. But, speaking to LBC, she added that flexible working was …

Four-day working week will not be imposed on employers, says Government
6 months, 4 weeks ago

Four-day working week will not be imposed on employers, says Government

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 A minister has warned four-day …

There’s nothing to fear from the four day week – and employers know it
6 months, 4 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 …

Ministers have ‘no plans’ to force businesses to accept four-day week demands
6 months, 4 weeks ago

Ministers have ‘no plans’ to force businesses to accept four-day week demands

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 The Government has “no plans” …

Four-day week can boost productivity, Labour insists
6 months, 4 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
7 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 …

Would you support a four-day working week? Join The Independent Debate
7 months, 1 week ago

Would you support a four-day working week? Join The Independent Debate

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 Campaigners are preparing to launch a fresh pilot for a four-day …

Four-day working weeks make us happier and more productive – here’s why they won’t happen any time soon
8 months, 2 weeks ago

Four-day working weeks make us happier and more productive – here’s why they won’t happen any time soon

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 …

A four-day work week won't be on the horizon for decades
11 months, 2 weeks 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, …

Can Congress create a 32-hour work week? Bernie Sanders says it’s not a ‘radical’ idea
1 year ago

Can Congress create a 32-hour work week? Bernie Sanders says it’s not a ‘radical’ idea

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. On Thursday, US Senator Bernie Sanders unveiled legislation that would effectively establish a 32-work …

Opinion: Can a four-day workweek really work? Many companies have already learned the answer
1 year, 9 months ago

Opinion: Can a four-day workweek really work? Many companies have already learned the answer

LA Times  

In 1940, Congress amended the Fair Labor Standards Act to limit the standard workweek to 40 hours, with any additional hours eligible for overtime. In Europe, national and regional governments have pilot four-day week programs in progress, and the United Arab Emirates has shifted public-sector employees to a 4 ½-day schedule. Dr. Adam Husney, the chief executive of the health …

Is the four-day week the future of work?
1 year, 9 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. …

Britons expect four-day week to be ‘the norm’ by 2030, new poll shows
1 year, 10 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 …

Sorry, Calvinists: A four-day workweek actually makes employees healthier, more productive
2 years, 1 month ago

Sorry, Calvinists: A four-day workweek actually makes employees healthier, more productive

Salon  

Ever since German sociologist Max Weber penned his classic 1905 book "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism," the Western World has accepted that Calvinist-influenced societies tend to associate hard work with both virtue and material success. "There's a wealth of evidence that individual health suffers with long hours, and is improved with shortened hours, though it depends on …

Most companies see mental health benefits and profits increase in four-day week trial
2 years, 1 month ago

Most companies see mental health benefits and profits increase in four-day week trial

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 The world’s biggest trial of a four-day working week has …

Four-day working week really DOES work, major six-month trial across 61 UK companies reveals
2 years, 1 month ago

Four-day working week really DOES work, major six-month trial across 61 UK companies reveals

Daily Mail  

Bosses even benefitted from increased revenue while productivity was constant The results we've all been waiting for are finally in - a four-day working week really does work, according to a major new study. A four-day working week results in reducing the number of staff quitting their jobs and taking sick days, a new study has found Change in participating …

We're talking about the 4-day workweek — again. Is it a mirage or reality?
2 years, 1 month 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 …

Who gets a four-day workweek?
2 years, 2 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
2 years, 2 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 …

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

Belgium gives workers the right to request a four-day week
3 years, 1 month 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 …

Is the four-day week too good to be true?
3 years, 2 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 …

Editorial: What if every week was a four-day workweek?
3 years, 6 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, 8 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 …

World’s largest ever four day week trial in Iceland ‘overwhelming success’
3 years, 8 months ago

World’s largest ever four day week trial in Iceland ‘overwhelming success’

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 world’s largest ever trial of a four-day working week and …

Could we embrace the four day working week and all that it brings?
3 years, 9 months ago

Could we embrace the four day working week and all that it brings?

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 In the …

Coalition of MPs and unions urge Alok Sharma to consider shorter working week at climate summit
3 years, 9 months ago

Coalition of MPs and unions urge Alok Sharma to consider shorter working week at climate summit

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In a letter to Alok Sharma, who was appointed earlier this year by Boris Johnson as Cop 26 president, …

From reducing carbon footprint, to easing pandemic woes, how four-day working week is gaining ground
3 years, 9 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 …

This is what happens when you switch to a four-day working week
3 years, 10 months ago

This is what happens when you switch to a four-day working week

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 After a …

How would a four-day work week impact us?
4 years, 1 month 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 …

Protecting the 48 hour week is not good enough – Labour should be fighting for a four day week
4 years, 2 months ago

Protecting the 48 hour week is not good enough – Labour should be fighting for a four day week

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 The Labour …

Four-day week could help solve Covid economic crisis, say European MPs
4 years, 4 months 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 …

How a four-day week could boost the economy after coronavirus
4 years, 6 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 …

The daily grind led to a four-day week and a new approach to work-life balance
4 years, 6 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, 6 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, 8 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, 8 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, 9 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, 9 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 …

Fear of a four-day working week, in light of Jacinda Ardern's comments
4 years, 10 months ago

Fear of a four-day working week, in light of Jacinda Ardern's comments

ABC  

Would you prefer a four-day working week? Photo shows Anonymous person using a computer keyboard A New Zealand company trialled a four-day working week and found staff did as much in 30 hours as they used to do in 37.5. "Ultimately, that really sits between employers and employees, but as I've said there's lots of things we've learnt about COVID, …

Four-day work week means more free time — but that doesn't guarantee you can put your feet up
5 years, 5 months ago

Four-day work week means more free time — but that doesn't guarantee you can put your feet up

ABC  

"We should work to live, not live to work," declared Britain's shadow chancellor John McDonnell last month, as he announced the British Labour Party would reduce the standard working week to 32 hours, without loss of pay, within 10 years of winning office. Reducing working time — the time one has to work to keep 'body and soul alive' — …

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