Laura’s new schedule, which gives her Fridays off, allows her to spend more time with her children while still managing her professional responsibilities. “The extra holiday is invaluable,” she explains. “It wasn’t just about cost savings; it was about spending more time with my family while continuing to do my full-time job.”
This shift in working patterns has attracted the attention of policymakers and business leaders, especially as Labour plans to introduce new legislation aimed at expanding workers’ rights to flexible hours.
Labor’s push for flexibility
On Tuesday, Labor’s Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds met business leaders to discuss their proposed employment bill. The plan aims to strengthen workers’ rights, particularly in relation to flexible working hours. From April, employees have had the right to request flexible working arrangements from the first day of their employment. Labor’s proposal seeks to build on this by making it more challenging for employers to refuse such requests.
Employment lawyer Alison Loveday suggests that under Labor’s plan, employers could be required to justify their reasons for rejecting compressed working weeks, such as a four-day schedule. However, this proposal differs from the official four-day week campaign, which advocates maintaining the same pay while reducing working hours.
Labor’s approach would see employees completing the same amount of work but over fewer days, potentially involving longer daily shifts. While this may provide greater flexibility, it also brings into question the impact of longer workdays on employee well-being and productivity.
The mixed effect of compressed hours
Laura Etchells’ experience is different from that of Jason Magee, who works for Cortex, a Guernsey-based software firm. Cortex trialled a compressed workweek last August, with employees working 35 hours over four days. Jason, who was initially excited about having Fridays off, found the longer workdays challenging. “After about seven or eight hours, you start to feel tired,” he admits. “I felt less productive by the end of the day.” Matt Thornton, one of Cortex’s founders, noticed that the trial shifted the company’s focus from results to working hours. “We became more conscious of the time employees spent working rather than the results they delivered,” he says. In response to feedback, Cortex is now experimenting with a four-day week that maintains the standard eight-hour working day in line with the official four-day week campaign.
Employee perspective
For Kelly Burton, a mental health nurse from Crewe, the compressed working week has been a positive change. Since changing to a four-day week in July, she has found the balance between work and personal life to be perfect. “I am much happier at work and can spend extra days caring for my elderly parents, as well as enjoying my weekends,” she says. Similarly, Peter Meacham, a dispensing optician in Basildon, Essex, has adopted a compressed schedule since September 2020. His four-day working week allows him to pursue his hobby – performing magic shows for charity – on his days off. “Being able to work a compressed week is a key factor for me,” he says. “If I was looking for a new job, it would be without any compromises.” Challenges and considerations Despite the positive experiences of some workers, not everyone agrees that a compressed working week is the solution. Michelle Owen, founder of Small Business UK, expresses concerns about the viability of such a system for all businesses,
particularly smaller enterprises that need to work a full week. “A four-day week may not be practical for businesses with peak periods or businesses that require staff coverage throughout the week,” she explains. Owen also points out that implementing compressed hours could increase staff costs and suggests there are other ways to improve flexibility without resorting to a strict four-day week. She reassures small businesses that Labour’s proposals are not aimed at mandating a four-day working week, but rather at increasing workers’ ability to request flexible working arrangements. Looking ahead With the debate on flexible working continuing, the four-day working week remains a topic of considerable interest and discussion. While some workers, such as Laura, Kelly and Peter, have found significant benefit in compressing their hours, others have found the benefits of a longer working week a challenge.