Staff allowed to choose working hours in new trial

Hundreds of British workers will soon have more control over their work hours as part of a new pilot by the official four-day week campaign. This six-month project builds on the original 2022 trial, with employers also trying flexible start and finish times, a nine-day fortnight, and compressed hours. Six businesses have already signed up, and the campaign's director told the BBC it aims to target around 3,000 employees and 50 companies. The UK's largest union, Unison, and several big firms support the experiment, although some companies have abandoned the four-day week after trying it.

Joe Ryle, the campaign's director, said 'hundreds of British companies and one local council have already shown a four-day week with no loss of pay can be a win-win for workers and employers. ' The campaign is backed by research from Cambridge University and Boston College. Bron Afon Community Housing, a Welsh community housing landlord, is one of the first companies to join the latest trial. Director Unji Mathur said she has been 'impressed' by the impact a shorter working week has had on organizations' performance, as well as employees' wellbeing and retention. She added that the trial is a chance to help improve employees' work-life balance. The campaign group said that 'at least' 54 of the 61 companies that took part have maintained the four-day week a year and a half after the original trial.

Sophie Greaves, a research chemist based in Liverpool, works with flexible start and end times. She can clock in anytime between 07:00 and 10:00 Monday to Friday and leave when her shift finishes eight hours later. She believes the flexibility is beneficial for days when you want to start later, or if you wake up early and are 'twiddling your thumbs' at home. 'People really are productive if they can manage their own time,' she says.

However, not all companies have had success with the four-day week. Asda shelved a four-day week trial last week after staff complained that their longer shifts were too demanding. Under its plans, store managers worked 45 hours across four days. Other parts of the trial, which included working 39 hours across five days, were more popular. Morrisons also abandoned the four-day week for staff at its corporate office in Bradford in January. Staff were required to work 37. 5 hours across four days with occasional Saturday shifts. Responding to Morrisons' decision, Joe Ryle said this was 'not really a four-day week,' which he defines as 32 hours across four days.

Meanwhile, some companies are trying a different approach. Earlier this month, Greece introduced a six-day working week for certain industries in a bid to boost productivity and economic growth. It only applies to businesses that operate 24-hours a day and is optional for workers, who get paid an extra 40% for the overtime they do. Joe Ryle will present the results of this second trial to the newly-elected Labour government next year. 'With a new Labour government, change is in the air and we hope to see employers embracing this change by signing up to our pilot,' he said.