In June 2022, we joined over 60 companies in the UK to take part in the four-day workweek trial. The pilot took place from June to December with the overall aim to see whether a four-day week can work for companies across the world.
Two months have now gone by and the results are in. Eager to find out how it went? Keep reading below!
The results of the four-day workweek
With over 61 companies that took part, the biggest three groups came from the marketing/advertising sector (18%), professional services (16%) and charities/non-profits (11%). In lots of different sectors and sizes, each company designed a four-day week policy that fits them and their workplace culture.
After 6 months, we sat down in interviews with 4 Day Week, the company that initiated the pilot, and shared survey data from our employees alongside administrative data about our operations. So how did the pilot go for everyone? We’ll break it to you now – it was a big success!
The key employer findings
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- 92% of companies that took part are continuing with the four-day week, with 18 confirming the policy will be a permanent change
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- 1.4% rise in company revenue over the trial period
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- 35% increase in revenue on average when compared to a similar period from previous years
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- 57% decrease in staff turnover over the study period
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- 65% decrease in employee sick and personal days
And what is a company without its employees? The shorter working week has played a massive role in improving employees’ health, well-being and social life.
The key employee trends
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- 39% of employees were less stressed and 71% had reduced levels of burnout at the end of the trial
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- 54% of employees found it easier to balance work with household jobs
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- 60% found an increased ability to combine paid work with care responsibilities
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- 62% found it easier to combine work with their social life
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- 21% saw a reduction in childcare costs
For some, the four-day working week was worth its weight in gold. It was such a massive boost to their daily lives that 15% of employees said that no amount of money would motivate them to take on a five-day workweek again.
With results like these, it’s pretty clear that shorter working hours have a massive knock-on effect on employees’ job satisfaction.
A shorter working week will improve employee wellbeing
The study has shown that a four-day working week, works! Not just for the companies that took part but for the employees too. Here at Trio, we initiated a staggered working week where half of the team took Monday off and then the other half took Friday off.
On a whole, the trial saw that levels of anxiety, fatigue and sleep issues decreased and improved mental and physical well-being. As well as better work-life balance, employees across the participating companies found that their social lives outside of work improved as well as their relationships with others.
Trio’s Results
On top of the nationwide success of this pilot, we also had our own successes. During these 6 months, we achieved:
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- 33% increase in revenue compared to the period before the trial
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- 47% increase in revenue compared to June-December 2021
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- 44% increase in headcount
Amazing results like these show that the four-day week works well in our favour and will continue to be a great motivator for the year ahead.
How did the four-day workweek impact the Trio team?
We saw the four-day working week as a defining feature of our workplace culture, so we couldn’t say no. At Trio, the team happily took on this shorter working week whilst still delivering excellent results for our clients. Colleen Kelly, Head of Client Relations, shares how it has benefitted her well-being and work balance:
“I feel more productive and driven at work. I think this is because the ratio of work to rest is better. It means I feel more recharged and energised at work and can get everything done because of that. Plus, work-life balance has also improved. I have more personal and family time which also means I’m not distracted by personal tasks that need doing during my working days.”
And Jamie-Lee Johnson, Head of Client Delivery, adds:
“The four-day work week has given the flexibility that a five-day week didn’t allow for. Now, I can balance being a mum alongside my career. Having an extra day with my toddler feels so special and I don’t feel like I’m missing out on her growing up and all the milestones toddlers hit so quickly!
If we didn’t do the 4-day week trial, I would have reduced my hours to 4 days because I wanted that time with my daughter but also because the cost of 5 days of childcare is debilitating! Being given the flexibility of the 4-day week meant that I didn’t have to take a pay cut, I didn’t feel like I would fall behind in my career and I’m not seen as a part-time worker and a part-time mum; which is a stigma that’s hard to shake nowadays.”
Insight from our CEO, Claire Daniels
Claire, our CEO, has approached the four-day workweek in her stride, being the face of the pilot across national news outlets on radio, online and TV. A huge success for Trio, Claire shares how the four-day pilot went:
“When I first looked into the 4-day week, I was seeking ways that as a business we could be more productive. I was intrigued by data that showed in the U.K. we’re one of the most overworked nations but one of the least productive, and so was open-minded to a strategy that would deliver real change.
The business performance speaks for itself in terms of the success of the trial at Trio, and so we have continued the 4-day week for a further six months. I feel like we need to get through 12 months of the 4-day week before I make any decisions about making it permanent, but I definitely can’t see us going back to the 5-day week model.”
Summing up the four-day week
A four-day work week once seemed futuristic and unthinkable whilst the UK continues to fight against a recession. This study has proved these doubts wrong. The four-day workweek has been a positive success for both the employer and the employee.
Shorter working hours have proven to improve life satisfaction and work productivity. We’re so happy to see the benefits this pilot has brought to the team, and we’re excited to see what else it brings this year.
If you’re interested in finding out more about how we approached the four-day pilot and our digital marketing services, contact us here or call us on 0113 733 2020.
