This is the world’s largest test of the new work pattern. In 70 companies in the UK, nearly 3,300 employees are working only 4 days a week from June 6, but with no reduction in wages.
The “Global 4-Day Work” experiment is a collaboration between researchers at University of Cambridge, University of Oxford and Boston College and will last for up to six months. The experiment is based on a 100 : 80 : 100 model, which means that 80% of time and 100% of wages are used in exchange for 100% of productivity.
And Joe O’Connor, the project’s director, said that due to the epidemic, more and more companies are realizing the importance of quality of life and that reducing work hours may be more effective in improving employee performance and competitiveness.
Juliette Shore, one of the project leaders and a professor in Boston, explained that they will also analyze the impact of an extra day off on employees, especially in terms of psychological anxiety, well-being, health, and sleep.
In addition to United Kingdom, the trial is expected to be conducted in the United States, Spain, New Zealand, Canada and other countries. In Asian countries, Japan was the first to announce a four-day work week in June last year, and electronics company Panasonic is rumored to follow suit this year.
