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Slow progress: wide adoption of the four-day week yet to gain speed
UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 00.01am MONDAY 18th November
Nearly half (44%) of 20–29-year-olds believe the four-day week will become a reality in the next five years
Despite some organisations making the leap to a four-day week, widespread adoption towards this way of working is yet to gain speed according to new research.
The research, released by Hays, the specialist in workforce solutions and recruitment, comes as the next Four Day Working Week campaign gets underway – the first under a Labour government.
Based on a survey of over 10,500 respondents, 7% of organisations have introduced or are trialling a four-day working week, whilst one in ten (10%) are considering implementing this way of working. 61% say they aren’t considering a four-day week and 22% said they can’t consider it due to their organisation/sector.
According to the research from Hays, 5% of companies polled had implemented or were trialling a four-day working week in both 2022 and 2023.
Smaller organisations better suited for take-up
Businesses of up to 10 staff have made headway when it comes to adopting a four-day working week due to their agile nature, as one in ten (11%) have implemented it, 3% are trialling it and a further 13% are considering a four-day week.
Despite this, two in five (40%) employers reported that they don’t believe the four-day week will ever become a reality throughout the world of work. A similar number of professionals (37%) also don’t anticipate they will see widespread take-up of this way of working.
However, the next generation of workers are optimistic, with nearly half (44%) of 20–29-year-olds believing that the four-day week will become a reality in the next five years.
In research released by Hays earlier this year, over half (51%) of workers say they would be tempted to move to a different organisation if there was an offer of a four-day working week, while over a third (37%) said it would depend on the opportunity.
Barney Ely, Managing Director of Hays in the South East, commented: “While some organisations have successfully transitioned to a four-day work week, and there’s clear appetite from some employers in the latest trial – our research highlights the challenges businesses might face in implementing a fundamental change such as the four-day working week.
The likelihood is that a good proportion of employers won’t be able to feasibly transition to this way of working, however they can ensure they offer a variety of flexible working options to meet the evolving needs of their workforce.
Flexibility in work arrangements can drive employee satisfaction and productivity, even if a four-day week isn’t feasible for all.”
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About the research: The survey was conducted between the 21st of August – 11th September 2024 and received 10,658 responses from employers and professionals across the UK
Comparisons made in the release refer to research in 2023: The survey was conducted between the 10th of August – 11th September 2023 and received 14,915 responses from employers and professionals across the UK
Comparisons made in the release refer to research in 2022: The survey was conducted between the 15th February-1st March 2022 and received 9,658 responses from employers and professionals across the UK
Contact Helen Flannery Senior PR Manager helen.flannery@hays.com T: 020 3040 0282 M: 07548 778306
About Hays
Hays plc (the "Group") is the world’s leading specialist in workforce solutions and recruitment, such as RPO and MSP. The Group is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional, and skilled people worldwide, being the market leader in the UK, Germany, and Australia and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The Group operates across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments. As of 30 June 2024, the Group employed over 11,100 staff operating from 236 offices in 33 countries. For the year ended 30 June 2024:
