More than half of the UK workforce are currently closer to working a six-day week, never mind the notion of a four-day one.
This is according to research conducted by Citrix, who found that 55 per cent of employees currently work closer to a six-day week when considering the number of hours they work.
Also, 58 per cent of employees are skeptical about the likeliness of a four-day week being introduced at their current place of work. The majority (65 per cent) of staff think a four-day week is “unachievable” as it would require a cultural shift.
Those who do predict a four-day week will be introduced, believe it will not happen until 2025, with 22 per cent holding the opinion it could take up to 10 years to come in to effect.
Under a third of employees (29 per cent) think the best way to reduce the number of hours they work is to be given more realistic targets or workloads. With 23 per cent saying better technology would boost productivity.
Christian Reilly, vice president and chief technology officer (CTO) at Citrix said:
Economies are built and grown through outputs and outcomes, not cultures of ‘presenteeism’ and hours worked – and it seems we still have a way to go before we reach a fully tech-enabled, outcomes-led approach to work. The irony is that the technology and infrastructure to enable flexible working is more sophisticated than it has ever been, and could dramatically help ease the burden of working hours for British employees.
There is a clear opportunity for technology to underpin improved and more efficient ways of working. Depending on the sector, this could range from more productive work within fewer hours in the workplace to enabling individuals to work flexibly with access to intuitive, user-friendly systems that boost – rather than hamper – productivity. Organisations in the UK must adopt both the right working culture and the right technology to encourage productivity and reduce the requirement for extra hours worked, while delivering the same quality and quantity of outputs.
Also, in October 2019, HRreview’s poll found that 65 per cent believe a four-day week is not viable.
On the 6/1/20 it was reported that Sanna Marin, 34-year-old Prime Minister of Finland, is considering the idea of a four-day week.
Darius is the editor of HRreview. He has previously worked as a finance reporter for the Daily Express. He studied his journalism masters at Press Association Training and graduated from the University of York with a degree in History.
