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Prototype shorter working hours in the public sector

Prototype shorter working hours in the public sector

Run shorter working week trials in the public sector as experiments to improve wellbeing and productivity.

Run controlled shorter working week trials in the public sector as experiments designed to improve wellbeing and productivity per job role. Public servants can act as positive examples for the other sectors of the economy where these improvements can be perceived and analysed effectively.

The UK’s public sector can set a positive benchmark for shorter working week practice. Use the public sector as an innovator in adopting a shorter working week without a reduction of pay, setting a benchmark for future labour legislations and improve collective wellbeing. 

This follows past policy examples where the public sector has acted as the primary adopter of better working conditions (such as equal pay and job security), later benefiting workers in the private sector. A shorter working week in the public sector will bolster staff wellbeing, job satisfaction and productivity, while also incentivising these occupations to applicants.

Tags Better work, more leisure

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Key documents

Policy in practice

Projects that demonstrate the benefits or may be helped by polices like this.

  • Advice Direct Scotland
    Advice centre adopted a four-day week without loss of pay.
  • Radioactive PR
    PR firm’s shift to four-day week has proved highly popular with staff – and the company has grown.
  • Normally
    Staff at design company Normally have worked a four-day week since it was founded in 2014.
  • Memiah
    Company connecting people with self-care and counsellors trails four-day week.
  • Administrate
    Tech firm offers staff a three-day weekend, all year round.
  • CMG Technologies
    Suffolk manufacturing firm is the first business in the region to work a four-day week.
  • Simply Business
    250 call centre staff will take part in UK's largest four-day working week trial.