200 U.K. companies have opted for a four-day workweek, latest data shows : NPR

Commuters cross London Bridge. Maybe some of them have a four-day workweek.

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The four-day workweek continues to capture interest in the U.K., with 200 companies now adopting the practice, according to the latest data from the 4 Day Week Foundation.

3 things to know

1. The companies employ more than 5,000 workers between them, and received the accreditation from the 4 Day Week Foundation, an independent group that ramped up campaigning on the issue during the COVID pandemic.
2. The group says its accreditation criteria recognizes a four-day, 32-hour working week with no loss of pay as “gold standard,” and a four-day, 35-hour working week as “silver standard.”
3. The industries most represented among the companies include marketing and PR, charities and nonprofits, and technology.

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Where have I heard about this?

The four-day week has been a buzzy topic for a while now, and particularly since the post-COVID upheaval of the 9 to 5 daily commute. NPR’s Andrea Hsu has reported on the earlier experiments by the U.K. campaigners and how most companies that trialed shorter weeks ended up keeping them.

The concept has also found roots in the U.S. One hospital in New Jersey recently moved nurse managers to a four-day workweek to help combat burnout and high turnover.

And some school districts in the U.S. have adopted a shorter school week to address similar issues for teachers.

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