Thousands of UK workers will begin a four-day work week on Monday, with no pay decrease, as part of the world's largest trial.
The six-month project includes 3,300 workers from 70 different organizations, ranging from financial services providers to a fish-and-chip restaurant.
Workers earn 100% of their compensation for working just 80% of their normal week in exchange for a promise to retain 100% of their productivity during the program.
In collaboration with scholars from Cambridge University, Oxford University, and Boston College, the initiative is being administered by the non-profit 4-Day Week Global, Autonomy, a think tank, and the 4-Day Week UK Campaign.
The company's main purpose, according to Sienna O'Rourke, brand manager at Pressure Drop Brewing, an independent brewery in London, is to promote the mental health and well-being of its staff.
"The epidemic has caused us to rethink employment and how people manage their lives," she added. "We're doing this to better the lives of our employees and to contribute to a positive shift in the world."
Workers have less freedom about when and where they work since the corporation creates and transports things, according to O'Rourke. However, any issues with handling vacation and sick leave would be addressed as a group.
Until recently, Iceland has the largest pilot of a shortened working week, with 2,500 public sector workers participating in two substantial trials between 2015 and 2019. There was no commensurate decline in productivity among participants in those studies, but there was a significant rise in employee well-being.
In recent years, calls to reduce the working week's length have gained traction in a number of nations. During the epidemic, millions of employees migrated to remote work, reducing time and expenses associated with travelling. As a result, requests for more flexibility have only gotten louder.
Trials approved by the government will take place later this year in Spain and Scotland, according to a press release from the 4 Day Week Campaign.
Workers have demonstrated that they can work "shorter and smarter," according to Joe O'Connor, CEO of 4-Day Week Global.
"As we emerge from the epidemic, more and more businesses are realizing that quality of life is the new frontier for competitiveness, and that reduced-hour, output-focused employment is the vehicle to provide them a competitive edge," he said in a statement.
The impact of the new working pattern on productivity, gender equality, the environment, and worker well-being will be measured by researchers.