A recent study conducted by StandOut CV has revealed that only 1.61 percent of job listings in the UK offer a four-day workweek.
This analysis reviewed 46,079 job adverts across more than 60 common job types that could potentially support a four-day workweek.
In 2022, the UK piloted the world’s largest four-day workweek trial, which yielded overwhelmingly positive results. Building on this success, StandOut CV sought to identify the prevalence of four-day workweek roles across the UK, pinpointing the best cities and industries for such opportunities.
Limited Availability of Four-Day week Jobs
Despite the promising results from the 2022 trial, four-day workweek jobs remain scarce. The study indicates that job seekers should seize these opportunities when they arise, as only a small fraction of jobs currently offer this flexible working pattern. Notably, 46.43 percent of these jobs support remote working, 32.14 percent are hybrid roles, and 21.43 percent are on-site positions.
One significant advantage of an official four-day workweek over part-time roles is that employees receive full-time pay for reduced hours. The study found that the average salary for a four-day workweek job is £37,142, which is 6.2 percent higher than the national average salary of £34,963.
Top Roles Offering Four-Day Workweeks
For those seeking four-day workweeks with full-time pay, certain roles are more likely to offer this arrangement. The following are the top jobs with the highest percentage of four-day workweek opportunities:
| Rank | Job | % of Roles Offering 4-Day Workweek | Average UK Salary |
| 1 | Quality Inspector | 5.17% | £27,000 |
| 2 | Security Officer | 4.92% | £24,987 |
| 3 | HR Assistant | 2.50% | £24,390 |
| 4 | Marketing Executive | 2.39% | £27,500 |
| 5 | Solicitor | 2.33% | £45,000 |
| 6 | Office Administrator | 2.32% | £22,556 |
| 7 | HR Manager | 2.13% | £45,000 |
| 8 | Data Analyst | 1.81% | £35,000 |
| 9 | Public Relations Manager | 1.80% | £37,500 |
| 10 | Marketing Manager | 1.72% | £40,000 |
Best Cities for Four-Day week Jobs
The study also identified the cities with the highest percentage of four-day workweek opportunities. London leads with 2.70 percent of jobs offering this working pattern, double the UK average of 1.32 percent. Outside of London, Nottingham ranks second with 1.99 percent, followed by Sheffield (1.97%), Liverpool (1.96%), and Stoke-on-Trent (1.58%).
As the concept of a four-day workweek continues to gain traction, these findings highlight the slow but steady progress in its adoption across the UK job market. Job seekers interested in this flexible working arrangement should focus on these roles and cities where opportunities are more prevalent.
Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.
