Over the past six months nearly 3000 people have taken part in the largest four day working week trial. The trial saw companies offer their employees an extra day off each week without a pay cut, but what do the results tell us?
Perhaps surprisingly (or not, as the case may be) the results are overwhelmingly positive. 56 out of 61 of the companies who took part in the trial are continuing with the four day week, ranging from small local businesses to large, corporate organisations.
Following the Covid19 pandemic, the way we work and want to work has drastically changed with more and more people wanting flexible and remote working so it’s no surprise that businesses are trialing new ways to improve the work-life balance people are so desperate for. The four-day week does exactly that, research shows that 7 out of 10 people taking part in the trial felt less burnout than working five days, taking the opportunity to utilise the additional time to get on top of housework leaving the weekend free for relaxing and spending time with family and friends.
Despite having less hours to complete assigned work loads productivity actually improved in the majority of work places taking part. As a nation we have bought into the concept that the longer you work the more you will get done but actually the reverse may be closer to the truth. Being busier at work does not directly correlate to feeling more stressed, having a day free to sort out “life-admin” and get on top of jobs outside of the workplace was proven to give people a better sense of well being and resulting in less daily stress.
Finally, 2021 recorded the greatest number of sick days than any other year in the past decade. The government is pushing for fewer people on long-term sick according to the Telegraph, with doctors being told to fully assess before signing people off work. Reports from the trial show that during the 6 months there was a 65 percent reduction in people taking sick days from work, which is a huge improvement and will drastically improve business productivity and profits.
Obviously a four day week will not work for all industries or businesses but it’s definitely an interesting topic and something business leaders can no longer ignore.
Life is better with friends – why not introduce yours to JR Personnel!
If you have a friend or a work colleague who is feeling undervalued in their current role, or you know someone who wants to try a new career path or is out of work and wanting a fresh start, why not recommend them to come and register with us here at JR Personnel – we always love to hear from existing candidates friends, colleagues and family and will be happy to help them with finding their new dream role!
They can register their CV on our website or send it to [email protected] or alternatively they can call the office on 01509 211211 to speak to a member of staff.
It’s national apprenticeship week this week, from 6th to 12th February the nation celebrates, learns and has the opportunity to explore the world of apprenticeships.
At JR Personnel we take a look at what it means to be an apprentice and what it means for the recruitment industry.
There are so many perks to being an apprentice, not only for school leavers who don’t want to carry on with higher education and be burdened with the hefty debt, but for people later in life who are looking for a new career direction or vocation.
If you’re straight out of school and dread the thought of having to attend an educational setting again, apprenticeships are a fantastic way to learn new skills and have the security of working in an organisation where you can grow and progress. It’s also an excellent chance for employers to “home grow” their talent, saving potentially thousands of pounds on recruitment and training of new employees.
You might be thinking that apprenticeships are low paid and only temporary positions lasting 3-5 years and this has been proven to be a barrier when people are considering applying for apprenticeships. This isn’t correct, particularly with the UK (and the rest of the world) facing a huge skills shortage, companies are desperate to create a young work force with the right skill set to succeed, and keep them for a significant period of time, so think good salaries and lots of perks post training!