Could the Four-Day Week Pilot change the horticultural industry?
The results are in for the UK’s Four-Day Week Pilot. The results were positive overall with many companies keeping the four-day week, staff reporting an increase in work-life balance and less fatigue, and revenue seeing a small increase.
Of the 61 companies that participated, 56 are continuing with the four-day week (92%) with 18% confirming the policy is a permanent change. Companies’ revenue stayed relatively the same, seeing a 1.4% increase on average, weighted by company size, across respondent organisations. When compared to a similar period from previous years, organisations reported revenue increases of 35% on average – which indicates healthy growth during this period of working time reduction.
The results from the trial showed a great increase in staff’s wellbeing overall. ‘Before and after’ data shows that 39% of employees were less stressed, and 71% had reduced levels of burnout at the end of the trial. Likewise, levels of anxiety, fatigue and sleep issues decreased, while mental and physical health both improved. For 54%, it was easier to balance work with household jobs. In addition to this, 60% of employees found an increased ability to combine paid work with care responsibilities, and 62% reported it easier to combine work with social life.
With such positive results, one question comes to mind: ‘What does this mean for the horticulture industry?’
B-Corp certified landscape planning, ecology and arboriculture consultancy, Tyler Grange took part in the four-day trial and have claimed that it produced 102% more work over four days than it previously did in five – making the company 22% more productive. Tyler Grange has also decided to adopt a four-day work week permanently, after having such success within the trial.
Simon Ursell, managing director at Tyler Grange says: “We’re delighted to adopt a permanent four-day working week for so many reasons.
“The UK has an unhealthy culture where it is seen as a badge of honour to work all the time, yet our productivity levels are low and younger talent – as well as the brilliant talent that we want to attract at all levels of the organisation – don’t want to be defined by a burnout life.
“The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics back this up. In 2019, the UK’s output for each hour worked was lower than that of the US and France, while other G7 countries’ output per worker was 13% above the UK’s. But in terms of hours worked, research places the UK more than an hour above the EU average of 40.5 hours a week in 2019.
“This needs to stop, and we’re very encouraged by the progress we’ve made and what we’ve achieved.”
Similar to the shift of hybrid working and working for home becoming more popular options, even after the pandemic, a four-day work week may not be the ideal fit for every company, yet with such a positive outcome over an array of sectors around the UK, there is a chance that there will be a shift in office hours nationally.
