Nine out of 10 firms in trial stick to fourday week
Companies say employees work more in less time
Fourday week gains appeal, but some companies still reticent

LONDON, Feb 21 Reuters Dozens of British employers trialling a fourday working week have mostly decided to stick with it after a pilot hailed as a breakthrough by campaigners for better worklife balance.

Employees at 61 companies across Britain worked an average of 34 hours across four days between June and December 2022, while earning their existing salary. Of those, 56 companies, or 92, opted to continue like that, 18 of them permanently.

The trial is the largest in the world, according to Autonomy, a Britishbased research organisation which published the report alongside a group of academics and with backing from New Zealandbased group 4 Day Week Global.

While the findings may be interesting for companies struggling for talent, other surveys show very few other British employers plan a fourday week soon.

The Autonomy trial covered 2,900 staff in total across different sectors, ranging from finance company Stellar Asset Management to digital manufacturer Rivelin Robotics and a fishandchip shop in the coastal town of Wellsnextthesea.

The majority agreed productivity had been maintained.

Staff said their wellbeing and worklife balance had improved while data showed employees were much less likely to quit their jobs as a result of the fourday week policy.

This is a major breakthrough moment for the…