Two hundred UK companies have signed up for a permanent four-day working week for all their employees with no loss of pay, according to the latest update from the 4 Day Week Foundation.
Collectively the companies employ more than 5,000 people, with charities, marketing and technology firms among the best-represented, but no estate agents – yet.
Joe Ryle, the foundation’s campaign director, said that the “nine-five, five-day working week was invented 100 years ago and is no longer fit for purpose. We are long overdue an update.”
“[With] 50% more free time, a four-day week gives people the freedom to live happier, more fulfilling lives”, he continued. “As hundreds of British companies and one local council have already shown, a four-day week with no loss of pay can be a win-win for both workers and employers.”
Marketing, advertising and press relations firms led the way, with 30 adopting the policy. This was followed by 29 organisations in the charity, NGO and social care industry, and 24 in technology, IT and software. Another 22 companies in the business, consulting and management sector had also permanently offered four-day weeks to staff.
But while four-day weeks are good for staff, is it bad for business? George Holmes, managing director of business finance specialist Aurora Capital, does not seem to think so.
He argues that the four-day week can be a game changer for small businesses looking to attract and retain top talent.
Holmes said: “While smaller businesses may not be able to compete on salaries, they can be much more agile and flexible than big corporations. This means they can attract the best candidates who value flexibility and well-being by offering innovative working patterns like a four-day week. This shift isn’t just about keeping employees happy—it can be a powerful way to build loyalty and reduce turnover.
“However, adopting a four-day week requires careful planning to maintain productivity and profitability. It’s a bold move, but for SMEs willing to think creatively, it’s a chance to redefine the way they attract, retain, and empower their teams.”
Research by Spark Market Research suggests that younger workers are the most likely to rail against traditional working patterns. About 78% of 18-34-year-olds in the UK believe a four-day working week will become the norm in five years’ time, while 65% said they do not want to see a return to full-time office working.
Spark managing director, Lynsey Carolan, commented: “18-34 [year olds], the core workforce of the next 50 years, are making their feelings known that they don’t intend to go back to old-fashioned working patterns.
“This group also say that mental health and improving their overall wellbeing are their top priorities, so a four-day week is a really meaningful benefit and a key enabler of their overall quality of life.”
A number of companies that have switched to a four-day working week insist they have “no regrets”, noting no change in performance while the policy has made it easier to hire people. But would it really work in the property sector?
Melville, the Scottish housing association, trialled the policy in 2023.
“They [members of staff] thought it was too good to be true that it had no strings attached,” she Kirsten Dean, head of finance at the organisation, adding that after more than a year “I don’t ever see us going back”.
Melville manages more than 2,000 homes for rent across central Scotland, meaning high tenant satisfaction and letting properties quickly were closely-watched signs that the staff involved were still doing their jobs properly after the switch.
Dean told the press it is “not all plain sailing” and that some tenants initially questioned the plan, but there has been no effect on customer satisfaction in surveys.
“From a mental health point of view, it certainly has been a benefit to myself and the staff,” she explained.
Dean also said the policy has also made it easier to hire top staff, and that an officer from another association had recently agreed to take a pay cut to join Melville.
The four-day week is “definitely a draw” for applicants, she said. But would the working pattern ever be accepted in the estate agency sector?
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