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Could the five-day working week become a thing of the past?
Could
the
five-day
working
week
become
a
thing
of
the
past
For those at the Royal Society of Biology,
For
those
at
the
Royal
Society
of
Biology
it already has.
it
already
has
They were one of 61 organizations taking part in the pilot
They
were
one
of
61
organizations
taking
part
in
the
pilot
and they're keeping the four-day week.
and
they're
keeping
the
four-day
week
We see there's
We
see
there's
actually been a decline in the amount of
actually
been
a
decline
in
the
amount
of
sick days taken during the period of the trial.
sick
days
taken
during
the
period
of
the
trial
We were starting off sick leave at
We
were
starting
off
sick
leave
at
around about the you know five... four to
around
about
the
you
know
five
four
to
five days perhaps per person per year on average.
five
days
perhaps
per
person
per
year
on
average
It's down to less than two at the moment
It's
down
to
less
than
two
at
the
moment
so I think it's a really substantial difference actually.
so
I
think
it's
a
really
substantial
difference
actually
Employees now have a slightly longer working day
Employees
now
have
a
slightly
longer
working
day
but they say it's worth it.
but
they
say
it's
worth
it
Weekends can be quite hectic the two-day weekend
Weekends
can
be
quite
hectic
the
two-day
weekend
so it's been quite nice to have
so
it's
been
quite
nice
to
have
that extra day. You see your friends and
that
extra
day
You
see
your
friends
and
family on the two days when they're also free
family
on
the
two
days
when
they're
also
free
and then you get that extra day off
and
then
you
get
that
extra
day
off
during the week just to do your chores
during
the
week
just
to
do
your
chores
or just to have that time to yourself to relax.
or
just
to
have
that
time
to
yourself
to
relax
So it's really made a big
So
it's
really
made
a
big
difference to my mental health, I think.
difference
to
my
mental
health
I
think
Of the 2,900 staff who took part in the pilot,
Of
the
2900
staff
who
took
part
in
the
pilot
39 said they were less stressed
39
said
they
were
less
stressed
compared with the start of the trial.
compared
with
the
start
of
the
trial
The number of sick days dropped by around two-thirds
The
number
of
sick
days
dropped
by
around
two-thirds
and there was also a 57 percent decrease
and
there
was
also
a
57
percent
decrease
in the number of people leaving
in
the
number
of
people
leaving
companies compared with the same period
companies
compared
with
the
same
period
the previous year.
the
previous
year
The pandemic was key in forcing workplaces
The
pandemic
was
key
in
forcing
workplaces
to become more flexible but
to
become
more
flexible
but
not everyone believes a shorter week is
not
everyone
believes
a
shorter
week
is
the future.
the
future
I think a four-day week sounds good in principle
I
think
a
four-day
week
sounds
good
in
principle
but in practice how many
but
in
practice
how
many
companies are going to be able to
companies
are
going
to
be
able
to
actually support employees well-being
actually
support
employees
well-being
if they're going from having a normal
if
they're
going
from
having
a
normal
five-day week and then cramming that down
five-day
week
and
then
cramming
that
down
into four days. We do a five-day
into
four
days
We
do
a
five-day
week but we work 10 till four so we
week
but
we
work
10
till
four
so
we
shorten the days and that means that the
shorten
the
days
and
that
means
that
the
employees get to have that work-life harmony
employees
get
to
have
that
work-life
harmony
but they're not actually
but
they're
not
actually
shortening their week. With the findings
shortening
their
week
With
the
findings
of the pilot being presented to the
of
the
pilot
being
presented
to
the
House of Commons today your four-day
House
of
Commons
today
your
four-day
week could be just around the corner.
week
could
be
just
around
the
corner
Alice Porter Sky News.
Alice
Porter
Sky
News
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