UK Companies Giving The Four-Day Workweek A Tryout
Last week, I wrote about Panasonic’s plan to switch their employees in Japan to a four-day workweek. I wondered if this might become a trend in other parts of the world. It looks like I have my answer.
Now, it’s the UK’s turn to try the four-day workweek. According to Men’s Health, a six-month pilot program is being launched by a partnership of 4 Day Week Global, the think tank Autonomy, the UK’s 4 Day Week campaign, as well as researchers at Cambridge University, Oxford University, and Boston College.
Starting in June, participating companies will adopt the 100:80:100 model. Workers will get 100 percent of their pay for 80 percent of their time, as long as productivity remains at 100 percent. The goal will be to see how the different hours effect productivity, morale, and the overall physical and mental health of their employees.
If people are working one less day per week, that could have other positive impacts. Fewer people commuting to their offices would mean fewer cars on the road, which would reduce the amount of vehicle emissions.
Could the fact that Boston College is involved in the UK trial lead to something similar being tried in the United States? On a list of countries that work the most hours, the U.S. is 11th. American workers might benefit from the four-day workweek.
