Council to go ahead with four-day work week trial

The district’s cabinet agreed to the three-month trial for office-based employees, beginning in January, following a vote on Monday.

Employees will continue working their standard 30-hours, on the same pay.

The council believe that the move would help staff wellbeing and improve productivity.

If successful, the council will consider expanding the trial to involve bin crews later next year.

Council leader Bridget Smith, of the Liberal Democrats, said: "The four-day week campaign talks about different ways of working. People have to be more productive within a shorter period of time.

"This has a dramatic effect on health and wellbeing.

"It is about trying to make us an employer of choice within local government so we can attract the talent and give our residents the best service they expect."

It is also hoped that the change will attract a more diverse workforce.

The authority says that for more than a year, only around eight out of every ten (or fewer) of its vacancies have been filled.

Agency staff have been temporarily covering these roles, which the council claim is disruptive to services and residents, and costs an extra £1 million a year.

A slew of companies have adopted the four-day week, as part of a UK-wide 6-month trial.

Over 3,000 employees from 70 UK companies agreed to work one but keep up productivity levels.

Studies suggest working one fewer day a week can lead to improvements in workers’ overall wellbeing and productivity.

Joe O’Connor, chief executive of the not-for-profit group 4 Day Week Global, said: “The impact of the ‘great resignation’ is now proving that workers from a diverse range of industries can produce better outcomes while working shorter and smarter.”

There has also been a rise in companies offered a compressed four-day work week, were employees work extra hours in the days they are working to make up for the day off.

But many have argued that working longer hours in a day does not help the case to address employee “burnout”, a main driver for the four-day week scheme.