Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Business

Two hundred UK firms cement four-day week as new norm

by January 27, 2025
January 27, 2025
Two hundred UK firms cement four-day week as new norm

Two hundred British companies have now made the four-day working week a permanent fixture for all staff—without cutting salaries—a move heralded by supporters as a fundamental reinvention of the country’s work culture.

The latest figures from the 4 Day Week Foundation show these organisations together employ over 5,000 people, with charities, marketing agencies and technology firms among the most enthusiastic adopters. Proponents argue the traditional Monday-to-Friday pattern is no longer compatible with modern lifestyles, with Joe Ryle, the foundation’s campaign director, insisting that “the 9-5, five-day working week was invented 100 years ago and is no longer fit for purpose”.

Ryle added: “With 50% more free time, a four-day week gives people the freedom to live happier, more fulfilling lives. As hundreds of British companies and one local council have already shown, a four-day week with no loss of pay can be a win-win for both workers and employers.”

Marketing, advertising and PR firms are leading the charge—30 of them have already embraced the policy—followed by 29 from the charity, NGO and social care sector, and 24 in tech, IT and software. Another 22 business, consulting and management companies have also committed. Altogether, 200 firms have decided to preserve a shortened schedule, saying it enhances both employee retention and productivity by refocusing work into fewer hours without sacrificing output. London is the most enthusiastic region, with 59 of these workplaces based in the capital.

Yet the trend highlights wider tensions around post-pandemic work culture. Many employees in the UK are still trying to secure more flexible or remote arrangements, while prominent US companies—including JPMorgan Chase and Amazon—have issued some of the strictest return-to-office mandates. Lloyds Banking Group, closer to home, is reportedly weighing how much in-person attendance affects senior staff bonuses.

Discontent has already led to resignations in some quarters. At Starling Bank, a group of employees left after the chief executive demanded more frequent office attendance. Meanwhile, several senior Labour figures—notably the deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner—have signalled personal support for a four-day week, though the party has avoided adopting it as official policy since coming to power, possibly wary of igniting partisan debates.

Research by Spark Market Research suggests younger staff are particularly invested in scrapping five-day schedules. Of 18-34-year-olds polled, 78% believe a four-day working week will become the norm within five years, and 65% do not want a return to full-time office life. Managing director Lynsey Carolan notes that mental health and overall wellbeing are driving this shift, saying younger workers “don’t intend to go back to old-fashioned working patterns” and view a shortened week as a significant quality-of-life upgrade.

Read more:
Two hundred UK firms cement four-day week as new norm

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
A Breath of Fresh Air: Trump’s FDA Takes a Step Back from the Menthol Ban
next post
AI-fuelled job automation set to widen inequality in the UK, warns report

You may also like

Fraud on the rise as cost of living...

August 5, 2022

Twitter’s Head of Trust and Safety, Ella Irwin,...

June 3, 2023

BA’s UK staff and Boots hit by cyber...

June 5, 2023

Government’s January surplus disappoints at £15.4bn, piling pressure...

February 21, 2025

Changes to the Quattro four-wheel drive system. How...

February 20, 2023

Amazon-iRobot deal scrapped after EU competition challenge

January 31, 2024

The Outdoor Revival: How RockFence Capitals Is Changing...

May 7, 2025

Best Prop Trading Firms: Get Started in the...

June 1, 2023

Hundreds of UK businesses demonstrate against government inaction...

September 15, 2023

Men and Cosmetic Surgery: What Procedures Are Men...

October 28, 2024

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Friday Feature: Thales Academy

      August 1, 2025
    • Trump ends de minimis tariff exemption, hitting UK exporters and global e-commerce

      August 1, 2025
    • Aston Martin sells F1 team stake for $146m amid financial struggles

      August 1, 2025
    • China’s growing nuclear arsenal aims to break US alliances and dominate Asia, report warns

      August 1, 2025
    • Kavanaugh cites 3 presidents in explaining Supreme Court’s ballooning emergency docket

      August 1, 2025
    • Supreme Court ruling blocks car finance payouts for millions of consumers

      August 1, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,651)
    • Investing (2,167)
    • Politics (16,275)
    • Stocks (3,228)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved