After the pandemic, a group of British companies carried out an interesting pilot test: they offered their employees to work four days a week, with the commitment to complete all work obligations.
Between June and December 2022, 61 organizations in the UK worked 80% of their usual hours, with the condition of maintaining the same pay for their employees, who now had to carry out the same functions but in four days.
At least 89% of these companies still maintained the policy, and at least 51% had made the four-day workweek permanent by the end of 2023., according to a report published by one of the study’s organizers. Two companies did not respond to researchers who compiled the report.
The study was published Wednesday by Autonomy, a think tank that conducted the 2022 trial with the non-profit organization 4 Day Week Global and the 4 Day Week UK campaign in collaboration with researchers from Cambridge, Oxford and Boston University. .
The effects of the reduction in working hours have been very beneficial for employees and their companies, according to the report.
Young people are looking for work flexibility. “The key point is that the positive six-month results are not due to novelties or short-term impacts. These effects are real and long-lasting,” said Juliet Schor, a professor of sociology at Boston College, who interviewed staff at the institute. companies that participated in the experimentation.
Managers and CEOs from 28 organizations also agreed to answer additional questions. They all said the four-day work week had a positive impact on their business. Staff turnover fell in half of organizations, with nearly a third saying the policy significantly improved hiring and 82% reported beneficial effects on staff well-being, as published by CNN.
Half of the 61 organizations that participated in the 2022 study They are found in the marketing and advertising, professional services and non-profit industries.. The rest span a variety of industries, including construction, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, arts and entertainment.
Source: CNN
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.