Four-day week is now a serious proposition that many of Scotland's business should consider – Andrew Bartlett

When business owners are offered a solution which reduces staff absence and increases worker productivity, most are keen to learn more.

Staff are more productive and less likely to be absent if they work a four-day week (Picture: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Throw in a fall in employee turnover and a higher quality of applicants for vacant positions, and most start wondering why they didn’t make these changes sooner.

For more than three years, Advice Direct Scotland has implemented a four-day working week for our staff, and a new analysis confirms the long list of benefits that this has brought both to the organisation and the people who work for us.

There are some misconceptions about the four-day week proposal – we don’t mean a change to part-time work.

Staff are still paid the five-day equivalent, but each week brings with it an extra day for them to spend with their families or pursuing anything they like away from the office.

On the other four days, the work they provide and the likelihood of them being there to provide it – as opposed to being off sick – ticks up significantly.

The analysis shows that since we brought in the four-day week, a range of fortunes have improved.

Staff absences have fallen by 71 per cent, while the average number of absent days fell by 55 per cent.

In terms of attrition, the rate of people leaving our organisation has dropped by a third, and our managers noted a higher calibre of applicants vying for positions when they come up.

On further investigation, we found that a better work-life balance was a “decisive factor” for those seeking a role in our organisation.

When we asked workers to keep a record of their own and their team’s productivity, all of our departments noted a substantial increase in output.

And it is not just the organisation which has benefited.

Our report also cites the direct experience of employees whose lives have changed for the better as a result of the four-day week.

Julie Murphy, a team manager at Advice Direct Scotland, spoke of how the change had saved her money on childcare – the cost of which can be extortionate – and had allowed her to spend more time with her daughter as she grows up.

“Working a four-day week has provided me with a fantastic work-life balance,” she said.

“It has produced more time with the family and more money for them, with extra cash saved from less commuting and childcare fees.”

That may not sound like much to some, but it has enabled Julie to renovate her house and take more trips around Scotland.

That is a direct benefit for an employee who becomes happier, more loyal and productive, and who is more likely to remain as a valued member of the team in the long-term.

Anecdotally, we have noticed improvements in morale and team chemistry. What people did with their extra day off can itself become a topic of conversation, and even inspiration, in the workplace.

And the trend is catching on.

Last year, the Scottish Government announced a £10 million fund for businesses looking to trial the shortened working week.

The idea is backed by the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), while a study by think-tank IPPR Scotland found eight out of ten Scots would support its introduction.

There is enthusiasm for it overseas too.

Trials in Iceland were deemed an “overwhelming success”; in New Zealand many large firms are taking it on; and the practice is also well established in countries like Denmark and Norway.

However, we know there is some scepticism about the concept of a four-day week. And that is understandable. For as long as anyone can remember, the five-day-a-week culture has been embedded in our society – and changing that can be daunting.

Perhaps some of the positive changes imposed on us by the Covid pandemic, such as increased flexibility and an openness to working from home and hybrid home-office patterns, will make employers more receptive to further changes in their working structure.

For example, we are adopting a two-plus-two system, with employees based in the office on two days, and working from home on the other two.

It is a big change and, for some businesses in some sectors, particularly for frontline key workers, it simply may not be possible.

But many of the other fears which have followed the idea of a four-day week around are scotched in this report.

We think we have shown through the key findings that the benefits that result from a four-day week outweigh any impact of having each staff member physically working fewer hours.

And while the benefits for employer and employee are many, it also delivers results for the customers.

As Scotland’s leading consumer advice body, our work revolves around helping members of the public, many of whom are distressed and worried.

Their concerns can include severe money issues, housing problems, matters relating to employment, and being victims of crime.

If, at any point since implementing the four-day week, our quality of work and service had dropped, these people would have been very quick to let us know.

Instead, we go from strength to strength, helping more people with some of life’s most tense and challenging scenarios.

We would urge other businesses and organisations to try the four-day working week and enjoy a happier, healthier workforce which is performing like never before.

Andrew Bartlett is chief executive of Advice Direct Scotland, Scotland’s national advice service which is available at www.advice.scot

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