David Sillitoe’s Post

Recent news headlines have suggested that government plans could give full-time employees the right to compress their hours into a four-day week. In parallel, the four-day week UK campaign is encouraging firms to pilot a four-day week in November. So, what, if any, are the differences? 📌 The 4-day working week UK trial In 2022, the 4-day week campaign conducted a trial involving 60+ organisations. Its premise was that employees work a four-day week, where the hours are pro-rated but with no loss of pay, i.e. full-time hours became 32 hours for the same wages. Some organisations, e.g. South Cambridgeshire District Council found it aided greater retention, productivity and job satisfaction. 📌 What are the Government plans? The government plans relate to a compressed working week, where the same hours are worked over four days, meaning a longer working day, but for the same pay. For example for a 40-hour working week, working 10-hour days over four days instead of 8-hour days over five days. 📌 So what's the difference? The 4-day working week UK trial means fewer hours are worked with no loss of pay. The government plans mean the same hours are worked for the same pay. Campaigners launched a second four-day working week UK trial, which will start this November, to influence the new Labour government. Findings will be presented to the government during the Summer of 2025. 📌 How does this fit in with flexible working requests? UK workers have the right to request compressed hours under existing Flexible Working legislation from day 1 of their employment. Organisations have a duty to consider this and the right to refuse for one of eight business reasons. We may see the reasons for refusal are reformed or limited in some capacity if the government’s compressed hours plans are implemented. 📌 How can I prepare? The media frenzy around this subject, coupled with the new day one right to flexible working from April 2024, may lead to a spike in flexible working requests. Ensure your policies have been updated, and that line managers are aware of the new right. Coach and train your line managers on dealing with requests, emphasising the importance of understanding the business case for refusing a request and factors specific to the request. For more top tips like these, signup to our newsletter! https://zurl.co/I5Lv

A new trial is underway whereby staff will choose their own working hours. In the same vein as the trials surrounding a four day working week, this will be another interesting insight into the relationship between flexibility and productivity - especially given the recent headlines about various businesses demanding staff return to the office and Greece looking at a six-day working week. Flexibility/remote working isn’t going anywhere after the pandemic completely changed how and where people work. The findings of the experiments with four day working weeks suggest this can improve productivity and well-being so it will be interesting to see how employers find this new trial. What do you reckon, an inevitable flop that would be too difficult to manage or the way forward? #TeamHowarths

🗓 The #4DayWeek is picking up momentum in the UK. "Workers in the UK could be given the right to request a four-day working week under new government plans but would still need to clock in their usual contracted hours." Joe Ryle with a great counter point: “This is a welcome move from the government, which recognises that the future of work we are heading for is a four-day week for all. However, these proposals would only allow workers to compress their working hours rather than reduce them, which we have found is key for improving work-life balance and also maintaining productivity." Having worked 4 day weeks for a couple years the main benefit is reduced overall hours to recharge and finding a way to maintain output (i.e be more efficient with your time). A step in the right direction? What's stopping your organisation from enabling a 4 day week? 🔽

Four day working weeks and compressed hours are back in the news again with the government’s plans to increase flexible working. First off, it’s important to distinguish between a four-day week, where employees are paid the same amount for working fewer hours, as opposed to compressed hours, where employees work their full hours to receive their full pay but compress their contracted hours into a shorter working week, which these proposals focus on. Our take on both options? It comes back to leadership, trust and honesty. It’s not about the hours you’re physically in work, it’s about what you deliver and achieve. The most important thing is that it works for both sides. If compressed weeks work better for some and enhance engagement, productivity and performance then fantastic. Conversely, if neither option works for either the employer or employee, then understand why and take the necessary steps to correct it. It can’t be a 'one size fits all' approach but takes good conversations and performance management to work. https://bit.ly/3Tk7FL1 #flexibleworking #compressedhours #fourdayweeks #productivity #leadership

4 Day Week (not surprisingly, this is the organisation which promoted the 4 day week campaign) has launched a new project which will allow employees more choice over their working hours and employers to offer compressed hours, 9-day fortnights etc. 4 Day Week reports that 92% of the participants in the 4 day week pilot decided to continue with it, reporting increased revenue and reduced staff turnover. What are your views? https://lnkd.in/g43cjacj #FlexibleWorking #4dayweek

😨 Businesses are "petrified" of Labour's plans for a 4 day working week! 😱 I've just read an article (link in the comments) about business being "petrified" of having to implement a 4 day working week for their employees. There's been quite a bit about this in the media recently and over the last few days I've heard various people discussing it as if it's a given. What is being discussed is a flexible working option of compressing full time hours into a 4 day week. This is something people have been able to request as part of a flexible working request already. In April it changed to a day one right. Currently the employee can propose any kind of flexible working request for example, less days, different start and end times, compressed hours, term time only. The business has to consult with the employee and can only turn down the request for one of 8 business reasons. The changes being proposed by Labour are to make it a default right for the employee unless it's not "feasible" for an employer to agree to it. The trouble is we don't yet have any detail, so everyone's panicking. So don't panic! We need to wait and see what the detail is. But in my view, if it's really not feasible for a business to agree to it then, in theory, it will still be able to be turned down. I think it's more about a shift away from companies paying lip service to flexible working requests and turning them down without much consideration. If you're trying to navigate all this on your own and wouldn't know how to manage a flexible working request then please get in touch! #flexibleworkingrequest #worklifebalance #4dayworkingweek #hrsupport

🚨 Big news for UK businesses: The government is set to propose legislation for a 4-day workweek! The upcoming legislation would require employers to offer flexible working hours, including the option for a four-day workweek. This proposal aims to reshape the standard workweek and could significantly enhance work-life balance for many. Under the new law, employees would be able to compress their contractual hours into a shorter workweek. Currently, while employees can request flexible hours, businesses are not legally obligated to accommodate these requests. However, the new legislation would make it mandatory for employers to offer flexible working arrangements from day one unless it's deemed "not reasonably feasible." This potential shift represents a major change in the UK's employment landscape. Follow the link below to learn more about How the UK's New 4-Day Workweek Legislation Could Impact Your Business. What are your thoughts? How do you think this will impact UK businesses? #FlexibleWorking #UKBusiness #EmploymentLaw

The four-day week—no one size fits all! Under new government plans to boost flexible working, full-time employees could soon have the option to request the four-day week. While employees would still need to work their full contracted hours to receive their full pay, they could ask to compress these hours into a shorter week, according to a report from the Daily Telegraph. The shift from 5 days to a four-day workweek may sound like a dream come true, but it doesn’t always work out as smoothly as people hope. Here are a few of the problems we have seen that it brings. #4dayweek https://buff.ly/47k3PY3

New Government Plans for Flexible Working Hours: The Government is proposing new legislation that would make flexible working hours, including a four-day week, a legal right for all employees. This could significantly impact how businesses operate and employees balance their work and personal lives. 📑 As reported by the Telegraph, the government denies that employers will be forced to introduce a four-day week. However, some businesses are concerned about the potential effect of these changes. ➡ If you're unsure about how these changes might impact your rights or your obligations as an employer, then get in touch with our specialist Employment Solicitors, who can provide expert guidance below: https://lnkd.in/enFDk4-p

4 day working week? Labour is considering new laws to allow employees to work a four-day week by compressing their hours into fewer days. This proposal, led by Angela Rayner, is part of a broader plan to enhance workers rights, including mandatory flexible working from day one. While the policy could benefit office workers, it may be less feasible in industries like construction, where shift patterns and project deadlines are rigid. In construction, compressed hours could disrupt project timelines and increase costs, making it challenging to implement compared to more flexible industries. Would it be possible to implement this into your business? 📧 jenna@foundationpersonnel.co.uk 📞 07871731758 https://lnkd.in/erzhzjKY