Your work week might be about to get shorter, to the tune of one whole day, or eight whole hours. A Labour MP is tabling a bill that would institute a four-day working week. And, we’ll be honest, we’re all for it.
Peter Dowd, the MP for Bootle in Merseyside, is the man responsible for the push, arguing that those in the UK have some of the longest working hours in Europe. Per the terms of the planned change, any work beyond 32 hours would have to be paid as overtime. Dowd’s bill will be discussed in the House of Commons next month.
Said Dowd:
“I am introducing this legislation because we’re long overdue a shorter working week. In the UK, workers put in some of the longest working hours across Europe while pay and productivity remains low in comparison. In numerous examples across the world the four-day week with no loss of pay has been shown to boost productivity and the wellbeing of workers.”
The four-day working week started on a trial basis back in June, which saw companies able to opt in to the effort. The pilot was led by 4 Day Week Global, in conjunction with think tank Autonomy, the 4 Day Week Campaign, and academics from both Oxford and Cambridge Universities. Similar trials have also taken place in other parts of the world, with an overwhelming success rate.
Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re going to go ahead and debate what’s better – Mondays or Fridays off? There’s one person here who insists Wednesday would be best – we’re not sure what to do with them.