The UK pilot of the world's largest four-day working week trial has now come to an end, with almost all of the companies involved deciding to stick with the reduced working hours model. Despite the shorter hours, the 61 organisations (and 2,900 employees) taking part were able to maintain their revenue while significantly improving employee wellbeing. Stress levels decreased, and job retention and the number of sick days taken during the trial period (June to December 2022) were notably reduced. It's clear that the businesses were impressed with the results of the trial and are committed to continuing with this working pattern. However, it is important to remember that this is not a “one-size-fits-all” solution.
As a forward-thinking business, we at Space Executive are always looking for ways to increase productivity, efficiency, and employee well-being. Off the back of the full report findings, we have taken into consideration the positive impacts of transforming ways of working given the outcomes being incredibly successful, with teams showing improved efficiency, productivity and a general overall increase in well-being. This has prompted us to take the findings from the pilot into consideration and make the decision to implement a 4.5-day work week for our London team with no change in pay.
Reason for choosing a 4.5 day work week:
We wanted to take an approach which worked for the sector we operate in, with due consideration to ensure that:
Our clients and contacts are not disadvantaged by the change in any way.
Our employee well-being was supported and increased.
We maintained momentum and productivity during the full work week with employees being office-based Monday-Thursday for client meetings and supporting candidates.
London Office Operations
On a typical work week, our London team will now work from Monday to Thursday from 8.30am to 6pm and Friday from 8.30am to 12pm. The Friday time slot will be dedicated to working from home, giving our team the opportunity to enjoy a longer and well-deserved break. This helps keep our team fresh and motivated, as well as giving them an opportunity to recharge and be more productive during their work days.
We strongly believe that this schedule will help to improve employee health well-being by providing our team with the flexibility to finish their work earlier on a Friday and spend more time with their family and friends. Working from home on a Friday also provides our team with a much needed break from the office and the opportunity to recharge and refocus on their work.
We also believe that this new schedule will improve the productivity and efficiency of our team. We understand that the modern workplace is constantly changing and adapting to the needs of its employees, and we are proud to be leading the charge. We understand that our employee’s time is valuable and that they should be able to make the most out of it. With this new schedule, employees can enjoy more time with their family, or pursue other activities that are important to them, while still getting their work done.
We are excited to see how this new schedule will positively impact our team and the company as a whole.
Asia Office Operations:
Our Singapore and Hong Kong offices were similarly given the option to adopt this new working schedule, however understanding that there are different nuances within the regions we operate in, they have decided to maintain their current ways of working which equally provide them with work from home flexibility.
Contact Us
If you have any questions in relation to these changes, please contact us at info@space-exec.com
