Natalie Campbell, co-chief executive of Belu Water and a hopeful Tory mayoral candidate, has stated that companies that fail to adopt flexible working will find it difficult to attract talent in the next five years. She made this remark in preparation for a speech at a cross-party event held by the 4 Day Week Campaign, where the mini-manifesto will be published.
With the pandemic-induced changes in work-life routines, people now recognize that physical presence at a desk in the office does not lead to a productive workforce. The 4 Day Week Campaign and various think tanks have called upon political parties to support policies that enable flexible working hours for employees. This includes reducing the maximum working week, revising official flexible working guidelines, setting up a fund to support companies, launching a public sector pilot, and setting up a working time council.
According to the mini-manifesto, the UK is among the lowest productive economies, despite its workforce putting in long hours. This lack of productivity is partly due to the failure to adopt more innovative ways of working. The 4 Day Week Campaign and its supporters advocate for working pattern changes that are better suited to the economy’s modern and contemporary needs.
While advocates of the four-day week see the 9-5, five-day working week as outdated, critics argue that this move may compress employees’ working hours into fewer days. However, cultural shifts are needed to encourage companies to adopt flexible working hours, retain employees, and attract top talent, ensuring a more productive workforce.
Though no country has fully adopted the four-day week, some countries, such as South Africa, Belgium, Iceland, and Japan, have policies that support flexible working hours. In the UK, the Scottish Liberal Democrats have been trialling a four-day working week for staff directly employed since December 2022.
Therefore, companies must embrace the shift towards flexible working hours, or they may struggle to hire top talent in the coming years. It is critical for political parties to endorse flexible working policies and bring about cultural shifts that support fair working practices and flexible working arrangements.
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