Flex not less

Employers might need to rethink their approach to the work week and consider the benefits of greater flexibility to improve productivity says Lucy Bisset, Director of Robert Walters North

The days of the traditional work week may be numbered, with a staggering 76 per cent of UK professionals expressing dissatisfaction with the current 40-hour work week model according to research from talent solutions firm Robert Walters.

Research revealed that 51 per cent of professionals believe a switch to a four-day week could significantly enhance their productivity. Since 2022, over 23 countries (incl. UK, Ireland, Spain, United States, UAE) have trialled the four-day week. While it may seem like an attractive alternative – it isn’t without its faults and an approach that will fit with every business model. Indeed, a downside from the four-day week trial found that 28 per cent reported either working more hours, or no change to the hours spent during a five-day week.

Nevertheless, there is no doubt that work needs to be done to improve productivity – with almost half (46 per cent) of UK companies having reported a rise in productivity-related challenges over the past year.

But the four-day week may not be the silver bullet solution. Greece recently went against the grain, by giving employers the option to extend their office’s working week to 48 hours or six days as a way of tackling labour productivity issues.

In the UK, when asked by Robert Walters, 28 per cent of UK employers said they’d consider extending the work week to bolster productivity while the majority (82 per cent) of professionals would leave their employer if such changes were implemented.

This stark contrast underscores the urgency for employers to understand and embrace their employees’ needs for more flexible work arrangements. While a six-day week is unlikely to be on the UK’s horizon, the question of whether more or fewer working days are the answer does remain hotly contested.

DWINDLING ENGAGEMENT

According to Gallup, the UK’s engagement rate comes in at a meagre 10 per cent (13 per cent below the global average), with the country losing over £32 billion in productivity in 2023 alone. High levels of engagement are linked to increased productivity, profitability and sales, emphasising the need for employers to rethink their traditional work week structures.

These engagement rates are worrying and must be addressed immediately, which is why improving communication is a good place to start. Employers can ask their employees about when they feel most engaged and productive and focus on how they can improve or adapt the workplace environment according to this feedback.

Another technique is placing a greater focus on boosting employee wellbeing such as having dedicated wellbeing days, providing retail vouchers and subsidised gym memberships – initiatives that can help boost employee wellness and demonstrate you care for your workforce on a human-level.

CHANGING THE WORK WEEK

Change, in some form, is on the horizon. Our survey showed that an overwhelming 84 per cent of professionals predict significant changes for the 40-hour work week over the next 20 years. Whether it’s a complete overhaul, small incremental changes or increased flexibility, the work week as we know it is poised for transformation.

Significantly, it found that over a third of professionals (38 per cent) believe that more flexibility would be the answer to boosting engagement and productivity levels.

This is not to say that employers must allow all their employees to remote work or clock in whenever it suits them. However, allowing more flexibility around starting and finishing times to help members of staff with care responsibilities – e.g. who must fit the school run into their daily schedules – can help improve engagement levels at work.

Currently – according to Robert Walters newly-released Benefits Guide (surveying over 3,000 professionals) – 85 per cent of companies offer employees flexible working options, whilst 54 per cent of companies also offer flexible work times.

EMBRACING FLEXIBILITY

Flexibility is something that is not only valued greatly by professionals, but it is increasingly expected as a given. However, we must be careful when casting blanket assumptions on the state of flexible work – an organisation’s capacity to improve or install flexible working as a main working model depends on various factors from the industry it operates within, to the tasks professionals in certain roles must complete.

While advocates of the five-day, 40-hour work week may be relieved for now that it isn’t going anywhere just yet, employers should test what works best for employees to ensure staff can maximise their week, without missing out on valuable hours of work.

If I can provide one key teaching from our research around this topic, it’s that employers must keep flexibility front-and-centre, ensuring they create work environments that not only foster productivity but also promote employee satisfaction and engagement. The successful businesses of the future will be those that can strike this delicate balance.