A four-day working week is a form of flexible working which compresses a worker's standard five working days into four, without any reductions in pay – and is a model which has gained significant attention over recent years.
Increasing numbers of employers are opting to trial four-day weeks. In a trial across the UK in 2022, participated in by more than 60 companies, 56 employers were still operating the four-day week a year after the trial had ended. Positive outcomes from this trial were reported, such as improved work-life balance and reduced staff turnover and levels of burnout. Likewise, a pilot across the public sector in Scotland saw similar improvements in both productivity and staff-wellbeing. Further advocates of the model have cited benefits such as an increased interest in roles and reduced levels of absence.
However, the four-day working week is not without disadvantages and risk.
As reported in the Telegraph, it is understood that Local Government Secretary, Mr Steve Reed, has recently written to English council leaders to warn against the implementation of a four-day working week. In this letter, it is understood that Mr Reed has expressed concerns that, if staff are permitted to work part-time but receive full-time pay with no substantive justification, this would be considered to indicate failure. It is noted that this is not the first time the Government has taken a stance against a four-day week: in 2024, the Prime Minister had refused a four-day working week for civil servants, on the basis that supporting the model was not government policy.
Noting the concerns expressed by the Government, there are also risks in the adoption of a four-day working week: including a risk of employees trying to compress their previous working hours into four days, which may become unsustainable over time.
Legal and practical considerations
Further, there are a range of both legal and practical considerations that an employer seeking to implement a four-day working week trial would need to be aware of – those most relevant to public sector employers are set out below:
- Contractual Changes: changing working hours and potential reductions in contractual holiday entitlement are some contractual issues which may arise from the implementation of a four-day week. This would require formal changes to the terms and conditions of an employee's contact of employment, requiring consultation with employees.
- Discrimination Risks: employers must ensure that those who are working part-time are not discriminated against by any implementation of a four-day working week.
- Suitability: a four-day week would not suit every sector, and businesses which require continuous service must consider how compressed hours would impact their operations. Employers should also avoid adopting a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to a four-day working week – any such model must be tailored specifically to the character of the business.
- Communication and Wellbeing: ensure that a transparent channel of communication is maintained with employees, welcoming feedback on the four-day week and allowing employees to share any concerns or issues which they are facing. Further, although feedback from trials has indicated a positive impact on employee wellbeing, there is a risk that employees working longer hours over fewer days may lead to burnout.
Conclusion
Although a four-day working week offers potential benefits for both public sector employers and employees, implementation of the same is not without legal risk, and careful consideration needs to be given to the practicalities of its implementation. The headlines regarding four-day weeks are not set to go anywhere any time soon, and so public sector employers must ensure that they remain up-to-date with the challenges that such a model can present.
