Campaign for shorter working week stepped up

A shorter working week has been introduced in scores of private companies, but supporters of the development hope it can be extended to the public sector, including councils.

More than 150 companies are accredited to the 4 Day Week Campaign, with benefits said to include better retention of staff and less stress.

Civil servants at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have submitted a petition calling for a four-day week trial.

The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) said its proposal would involve a 20% reduction in working hours for staff with no loss of wages.

The move followed pressure from some government ministers to increase the amount of time civil servants spend in their workplaces.

Joe Ryle, director of the 4 Day Week Campaign, told the PA news agency that recent official figures showing that almost two million workers reported suffering from work-related ill health in 2022/23 demonstrated the urgency of a cut in the working week.

He said: "Our very British culture of long working hours and low pay is pushing people to the brink.

"We work some of the longest hours in Europe which is causing burnout for millions and not producing good results for the economy.

"We are long overdue a reduction in working hours. The time has come for a four-day working week, with no loss in pay."