Business and Charity Leaders Urge Ministers to Restore England’s Four-Day Week Reform
More than 100 business and business leaders have signed an open letter calling on those ministers to “lead the transformation of the country with a shorter working week”, amid a growing row over the future of the four-day week in local government.
The book, organized by the 4 Day Light Foundation, comes after Steve Reed, the local government secretary, is the first in England to hear the four-day week – Wanting to move has damaged performance and the value of money.
In a letter to the Telegraph, Mhanga expressed “deep disappointment” at the Council’s decision to hold his four-day trial. Presenting an independent report, he said that the performance “decreased in areas related to housing related to the collection of housing including the collection of RRM, transfer times and tenant satisfaction with repairs”.
In response, more than 100 senior figures from business, trade unions and unions have called on the government to set up a working time council to deal with the Southwide Council across the country.
“As business leaders, trade union leaders who have seen a successful transition to a successful four-day week (without loss of pay) in many cases, it simply means that it is a vision of the future -” said the book.
“From different sectors and company sizes, we have all seen the same result: short work weeks are not only available, but they are changing.”
Signaties include employers who have already adopted reduced work patterns and are reporting gains in productivity, recruitment, and retention.
Bridget Smith, the leader of the South Cambridgeshire County Council, refused to insist that “independently assessed data” showed the council’s main service improved or remained stable during the trial.
“I am very disappointed by Mr. Reed’s letter,” she said. “Our employees have done their work 100% in 32 hours every week since the four-day week started. Our financial analysis shows that we have saved our reliability in the year,
The trial, which began in 2023, is being watched very closely in the public sector. At least 25 other councils are understood to be testing similar pilots next year.
Joe Rumyle, the director of the foundation of the 4th week of the week, described the reed’s intervention as “ridiculously ridiculous” and made the government look “outdated.”
“Evidence shows that four-day weeks and flexible working are good for workers and businesses,” she said. “The general council succeeds other local managers – so cherry-picks a few metrics that are frustrating and surprising.”
Ryle added that while the private sector has embraced short weeks with “hundreds of companies now operating successfully on that model,” the idea becomes “political as soon as it enters the public sector.”
The UK government has no legal power to prevent councils adopting four-day working patterns, but ministers can be under political pressure.
According to the national information office, more than 200,000 workers have changed in the four-day week since the pandemic. The 4-day week basis estimates that at least 430 companies, representing 13,000 workers, have now adopted shorter work weeks across the country.
Advocates say the model improves productivity, work-life balance and employment, while critics warn of risk and disruption to essential public services.
For now, the debate over the four-day week seems set to intensify – councils, campuses and businesses are urging clergy not to follow the inevitable path of how Britain works.
