Should the UK Embrace a Four-Day Work Week?

As trials expand across the country, citizens and experts weigh in on the potential cultural and economic impacts.

2025-07-17 07:31   |   By Oliver Keane

Across the UK, momentum is building around the idea of a four-day work week. With growing calls for better work-life balance and more flexible arrangements, companies, unions, and politicians are exploring whether fewer working days could deliver higher productivity and greater wellbeing.

Trials in several UK firms have shown promising results. Employees report lower stress, fewer sick days, and improved morale. Employers, meanwhile, are noting stable or even increased productivity levels, especially when expectations are clearly set and workflows streamlined.

One high-profile pilot, coordinated by the non-profit 4 Day Week Global, involved 61 British companies. After six months, 92% of those firms chose to continue the shorter schedule, citing reduced burnout and stronger employee retention as key benefits.

Critics argue the approach isn’t suited to every industry. Sectors like healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing may struggle to compress workloads or maintain service levels. Others worry that the shift could disproportionately affect part-time workers and those on insecure contracts.

Economists are divided. Some see the move as a natural progression in productivity-driven societies, much like the reduction from six-day to five-day weeks a century ago. Others caution that reduced hours must be accompanied by careful planning and robust labour protections.

Unions have voiced support for the idea, framing it as a path toward fairer work practices. Frances O’Grady, former General Secretary of the TUC, called the shift 'a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine work on humane terms.'

The government remains non-committal, though MPs from across the political spectrum have expressed interest. Green and Liberal Democrat politicians have championed the model, while some Labour members view it as a potential part of future employment manifestos.

As trials continue and public sentiment shifts, the question is no longer whether the UK could manage a four-day week—but whether it can afford not to. In a post-pandemic world hungry for rethinking old systems, the shorter work week may soon feel like common sense.