Since the pandemic, more than 100,000 workers in the U.K. have transitioned to a full-time four-day workweek, MSN reports.
According to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, around 1.4 million people reported working full-time four days a week between October and December 2024, up from 1.29 million during the same period in 2019.
The rise in four-day workweeks, now representing 10.9% of U.K. employees (both full- and part-time), reflects growing interest in flexible work arrangements. Advocates argue that shorter weeks improve mental health and work-life balance, while employers benefit from increased motivation, easier hiring, and better retention.
Additionally, another 100,000 workers reported part-time four-day schedules in late 2024, contributing to a total of 2.7 million people working a reduced-week schedule.
However, the data does not clarify whether employees have compressed their hours into fewer days or accepted pay cuts to work less.
The 4 Day Week Foundation, which promotes four-day workweeks with no reduction in pay, reports that over 420 companies and 12,000 employees have adopted the model since the pandemic, either through the foundation’s accreditation scheme or public announcements.
Hybrid working has become the norm for over a quarter of workers in Great Britain since the pandemic, though some employees continue to struggle to maintain remote work as offices push for returns.
In a landmark move, South Cambridgeshire District Council recently became the first local authority in the U.K. to adopt a permanent four-day workweek. Its 700 staff are expected to complete full workloads in roughly 80% of contracted hours, without pay cuts. After a 27-month trial, the council reported faster service delivery and saved nearly £400,000 annually by reducing reliance on temporary agency staff.
Support for the four-day workweek has come from senior Labour figures, including Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, although the government has yet to fully embrace the policy.
Marketing, technology firms, and charities have led the charge in adopting shorter workweeks, according to the 4 Day Week Foundation.
