Britain's Four-Day Work Week Experiment: Smashing Success
(Except in Greece, They're Working Six Days)
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기사입력 : 2024.07.09 22:35
In the largest experiment of its kind in Britain, South Cambridgeshire District Council's trial of a four-day work week for public sector employees has yielded promising results. Conducted over 15 months from January 2023 to April 2024, the trial saw productivity improve in 11 of 24 areas, stay the same in 11, and decline in only two, according to researchers from the universities of Cambridge and Salford.
The Liberal Democrats, who controlled the South Cambridgeshire constituency, faced backlash from the then-Conservative government for their bold move. One minister even demanded that Chief Executive Bridget Smith “end your experiment immediately,” according to the Guardian. But the results spoke for themselves: staff were asked to complete 100% of their work in 80% of the time while still receiving full pay, and the benefits have been striking.
Key outcomes included a 39% reduction in staff turnover, saving the council £371,500 in a year mainly from lower contract staff costs. Employees reported better physical and mental health, increased motivation, and higher engagement. Routine domestic planning applications were processed about a week and a half earlier than usual, and 15% more major planning decisions met the correct timelines. Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit application processing times also improved.
However, not everything was rosy. Rent collection for council housing saw a slight decline, blamed on the cost of living crisis, and the average time to re-let empty council houses increased slightly from 28 to 30 days.
Mike Davey, leader of Cambridge City Council, praised the trial as a "win-win situation" that improved services, cut costs, and enhanced work-life balance for staff. Joe Ryle, director of the 4 Day Week Campaign, hailed the results as a "huge opportunity" for the public sector.
But not everyone is jumping on the four-day week bandwagon. In a surprising twist, the new Labor government under Keir Starmer is reportedly pushing NHS workers to put in longer hours to tackle waiting lists, with more operations scheduled for weekends. The Labor Party, once a champion of the four-day week under Jeremy Corbyn, has shifted its focus to economic growth and productivity without raising taxes.
Meanwhile, as Britain and other countries from Sweden to the UAE flirt with shorter work weeks, Greece has decided to go in the opposite direction. In a move that has raised eyebrows, the Greek government recently announced a six-day work week policy for private businesses. With a shrinking population and a shortage of skilled workers, Greece is betting on longer hours to boost productivity. Because, why not work more when everyone else is trying to work less?
So, while Britain celebrates the success of its four-day work week experiment, Greece is saying, "Hold my souvlaki, we've got an economy to save."
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