Many UK employers support four-day week 'if it was all in the office'

Support for the shorter week grows after a trial at 61 UK companies

Commuters on London Bridge. Employers and professionals hope they will have one less crossing a week. PA

New research suggests many UK employers would be more likely to offer staff a four-day week if they were all spent in the office.

A survey of 11,800 employers and staff showed strong support for a shorter working week, a trend that is increasing after a recent trial across the country was praised as showing it could work across the UK.

The vast majority of the 61 companies that entered the six-month trial extended the four-day week, with about a third making it permanent.

Employment firm Hays said its study suggested almost two thirds of workers would rather switch to a four-day week, with all four days in the office.

A third of employers would be more likely to consider the change if all four days were spent in the workplace.

Almost two thirds of employees said they would be tempted to move to an organisation if it was offering a four-day week, compared with just over half in a previous survey a year ago.

Are you working in a toxic office? - in pictures

Nearly 60 per cent of employees in the region have experienced toxic behaviour in the workplace, a McKinsey Health Institute study found. Getty

Entrepreneur Emma Burdett, 43, says she suffered a mental breakdown after being bullied when she worked in a sales role in Dubai. Photo: Emma Burdett

Bader Shahin, 36, says he was confused and distressed after his boss began to humiliate him. Photo: Bader Shahin

Account director Caroline Perch, 35, said she moved back to the UK due to the toxic culture in a number of offices. Photo: Heather Broderick

The survey found 66 per cent of respondents reported mental health challenges and 55 per cent distress, compared to 32 per cent globally.

“It’s clear from our research that the appetite for a four-day working week has increased from both professionals and employers," said Gaelle Blake, of Hays UK and Ireland.

"However, in reality only 5 per cent of respondents to our survey are working for an organisation where this is actually happening.

“Organisations were quick to adopt hybrid working as a result of the pandemic. However the four-day week is a much bigger cultural and operational shift for many organisations.

“What our research does point to is the importance of flexibility as professionals would be willing to travel into an office more often if there was better flexibility from employers on their working days.

“Whilst the four-day working week is an attractive offering for workers, there’s lots of ways for employers to stand out from the crowd by allowing staff flexibility in the form of hybrid working, flexible hours and more.”