For those of us working full-time, switching to a four day week feels like a dream. Who wouldn’t want an extra day to get ahead on life admin, have a lie-in, or even head away for a cheeky long weekend? It would be like having a bank holiday every week.
Incredibly, that dream might be about to come true! As part of a raft of changes within their new flexible working bill, rumours are circling that the Labour government intends to introduce the right for every UK worker to request a four day working week.
What could that look like in reality? Let’s take a look.
What would a compressed four day week look like?
The right to a four day week is part of Labour’s plans to allow employees more flexibility over choosing their working hours.
Crucially, the proposed law doesn’t plan to simply chop a day off at the end of the working week. Instead, it would allow employees to request fitting their hours across four days rather than five.
For most full-time workers, compressed working hours would look like working four 10-hour days compared to five eight-hour days.
It could be a gamechanger for working parents, helping reduce some of the cost burden of childcare by freeing up their time to be at home. Workers with other demands on their time such as other caring needs will also benefit.
While some companies may choose to have a set company-wide day off, e.g. on Fridays, others may ask their employees to spread out their extra days off throughout the week so there is always some cover.
Is this the same as the four day week trial?
Labour’s proposal is notably different from the four day week trial campaign, which instead suggests reducing working hours to a 32 hour week (four eight-hour days) with no loss of earnings.
The theory here is that giving employers an extra day to recharge, spend time with family, friends or pursue hobbies, leads to more fulfilled, more productive workers able to accomplish more despite the shorter time frame.
The shorter week has also become a desirable work perk used to attract new joiners and retain existing employees.
Are four day weeks suitable for everyone?
Under the proposed plans, employers will only be able to reject the request if it’s not possible for someone to effectively do their job on a compressed schedule.
Moving to compressed hours may not be possible in some sectors, such as key workers like teachers and police officers.
Indeed, retailer Asda piloted a compressed four day week trial but has since scrapped it, citing that their staff found it too physically exhausting to compress five days’ work across four days.
However, for many office-based and remote workers, the new flexibility measures could prove popular.
How many jobs already offer a four day week?
Looking at our data for September, 10,617 jobs were on offer with a four day week set-up, up from 10,353 jobs in September 2023.
Meanwhile, 3,758 jobs in September cited compressed hours, up from 5,506 a year ago.
While there’s no getting away from the fact that the total number of compressed hours roles on offer has decreased year-on-year, it’s worth bearing in mind that overall hiring has slowed year-on-year (slipping 17% according to our latest UK Job Market Report). When the number of jobs being offered picks up again, we could see a fresh boost in positions offering compressed hours.
The top 6 sectors for four day weeks
Healthcare & Nursing
Advertised vacancies: 1,599
Close to 1,600 Healthcare & Nursing jobs cited a four day week in September 2024, with a further 173 offering compressed hours, making this the top sector for these types of roles.
In stressful working environments, an extra day away from work could help to improve the mental wellbeing of staff. With high burnout rates currently causing many healthcare staff to leave their jobs, more healthcare employers are considering flexible working arrangements to improve their staff retention.
However, many healthcare professionals (including nurses or carers) already work abnormal working hours that may include long shifts or work over weekends and bank holidays. Here, adopting the principles of the four-day week may be more about shortening shifts than condensing hours.
For some healthcare roles, such as specialised consultant doctors, moving to a four day week may be simpler.
Engineering
Advertised vacancies: 1,102
In second position, Engineering is the sector boasting the second highest number of job ads for roles adopting a four-day working week with 1,102 available in September. An additional 776 cited compressed working hours.
A 2022 survey from the Institute of Mechanical Engineers suggested two-thirds of small and medium sized engineering firms were considering adopting a four day week, showing strong support for flexible working arrangements within the sector.
It’s another industry that has struggled recently to find enough skilled workers, so offering this perk is one way employers can stand out from the crowd and attract the engineers they need.
Hospitality & Catering
Advertised vacancies: 950
Hospitality & Catering comes in as the sector offering the third most four day working week jobs at 950 positions in September 2024, with a further 133 jobs advertising compressed hours.
Although once again, these are often businesses that run seven days a week with employees rotating through shifts, it’s positive to see an appetite among employers to adopt shorter working week principles.
Sales
Advertised vacancies: 946
Many Sales roles can be done remotely, meaning it’s a sector where introducing flexible schedules like the four day working week can be more straightforward. While a sales team might need to spread out their days off to ensure seamless cover and communication with prospective clients, adopting this perk is doable.
On top of this, 85 positions cited compressed working hours in September.
IT
Advertised vacancies: 902
The Tech sector has a reputation for leading the way with work perks and this is no exception.
Some well-known companies including Amazon, Buffer, Microsoft and Samsung all offer their staff four day week options. The sector is home to the fifth most UK four day week vacancies overall (902), as well as boasting an additional 343 positions citing compressed working hours in September 2024.
Accounting & Finance
Advertised vacancies: 770
Accountancy firm Cooper Parry and app-based bank Atom Bank are just two big names in the Accounting & Finance world that have switched to a four day working week. It’s a strategy the sector is considering more seriously as a means to attract and retain top talent.
Meanwhile, an additional 146 roles in September 2024 cited compressed working hours.
Read more: Top 10 jobs to live the good life