The viability of a four day week: is flexible working suitable for all? (Part 2)

In the first part of this series on the viability of the four day week, we discussed the benefits that a healthier work-life-balance may bring to workers in certain areas of the economy. There is clear data to suggest office workers, and employees in sectors that are already able to remotely work, could see a spike in measurably productivity and fulfilment within their positions.

The 100:80:100 programme is ready to be rolled out in June of 2022; it will let us finally see the tangible results of how a four day week affects productivity in 30 selected companies in the UK. But if a four day week were to be rolled out nationwide, how would this affect workers in less structured sectors, such as the hospitality and service industries?

In workplaces where shift patterns are irregular and unpredictable, a shortened work week may actually represent a loss of available shifts for many service workers. With full-time staff members reducing their weekly hours by as much as 25%, the remaining time to be filled could prove difficult to organise without the recruitment of more part-time staff to make up for the gaps in the shift patterns.

These part-time workers could be left in an awkward rhythm of employment, in which any available shifts are unpredictable or not conducive to an easily-managed lifestyle. Could the pressure associated with this re-organising of shifts put unnecessary stresses on management structures and staff alike?

On the other hand, smaller hospitality businesses that are willing to risk a knock to their profits could avoid any shift-based issues by simply shortening their working week altogether. A trial of this proposed system carried out in Brantingham saw both staff and customers alike reporting the benefits in terms of social responsibility and personal happiness. 

Of course, this system may be unreasonable when transposed to larger businesses and nationwide chains. The opportunity for increased revenue with so much of the workforce experiencing more leisure time would be a great boost to the industry as a whole. Perhaps the answer lies in a drastic change in work culture; the expectations of the service sector would have to adapt to allow for the greater positives on offer to the majority of the workforce.

If we look at the trends regarding the average working hours of UK residents, there is a distinct and constant decline over the past 200 years; from an average of 66 hours in the 1800’s to our current expected work week of around 40 hours. This data implies that the natural order of the working world is to make efforts to reduce the amount of time we spend actively working, and to promote the fulfillment of employees in every sector. If this is the case, then our work culture will have to adapt eventually. Perhaps the results of the UK’s upcoming trial will push this process along.

At Feather Grey, we’d love to hear your opinions on the four day week. Join the conversation here.