THE 4-DAY WORKING WEEK: TURNING A DREAM INTO A REALITY

Towards the end of 2018 there was a lot of noise in the national press about the TUCs plans to implement a four-day working week in the UK and how it could become a reality in this century, thanks to technology and artificial intelligence.

At KnownFour it has always been our mission to support remote working so that our partners can create a work life blend that works for them, giving them the freedom to work around other commitments, such as families, illness or further educational training.

Boost to business?

There’s no denying that the work culture in the UK is amongst the poorest in Europe. The emphasis has always been on low skilled, low paid workers, so the need to work longer hours was needed for businesses to sustain a consistent churn rate. But working longer hours makes for miserable statistics.

According to research, the average British worker only takes a 34-minute lunch break and works 10-hours unpaid overtime each week. When compared to our European counterparts our productivity levels are lagging too, even with them working fewer hours.

And then there’s the stark reality that overworked staff are often unhappy and unhealthy too.

Health is wealth

It may come as no surprise, but in 2017 more than half a million workers in the UK were signed off with work-related stress or anxiety. That amounts to a whopping 12.5 million working days, not to mention a huge bill in sick pay.

There’s no denying that happy, healthy workers are more productive and more loyal. If you treat employees well then they’ll reward you over and over again.

Is technology the future of the workforce?

At KnownFour the answer is very much a YES! But not all businesses are embracing the technological advancements that could revolutionise the way in which they work. Some people fear the unknown and worry that robots will one day take over the world and eradicate the need for the human touch.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. What if technology and AI can work in harmony alongside workers? What if technology is used in a way that supports our current way of working? What if technology is what can be implemented into the workplace to make the 4-day working week a reality?

Putting it into practice

Some UK businesses have already started to implement a 4-day working week into their work culture after successful trial periods, recognising that employees can still achieve what they can in five days over four days.

Perhaps empowered workers prefer to work smarter not harder? Maybe the 4-day working week creates a shift in mind-set and therefore employees are more efficient during the four days that they do work, so that they can enjoy an additional day off without worrying about work?

Being bold for change

KnownFour is certainly starting to make bold moves within the recruitment industry with its mission and ethos around supporting workers, especially those highly skilled individuals who need a more flexible approach to work, such as those returning to work after maternity leave, or those caring for elderly or sick relatives.

Historically, the recruitment sector has always had to adapt ‘normal’ working hours to suit candidates, so more often than not recruitment specialists are working at the crack of dawn or late into the evening, so why not create a working culture that supports this?

In 2019 we’ll be rolling out a 4-day working week to our partners so that they can take advantage of a more concrete contract, where they’ll only need to work for four days but still get paid a full-time salary.

We know from experience how empowered our partners and employees feel when they have the flexibility to create their own work culture within the boundaries of our company ethos, so we’re excited to see what the future holds with the 4-day working week and hope that it becomes the rule, rather than the exception for other UK businesses.