“It’s a breath of fresh air” - 4-day week boosts employee wellbeing
A leading local charity has extended its trial of the innovative 4-day working week – after it was shown to improve employee wellbeing - without reducing productivity.
A four-day week is when people deliver 100% of their work in 80% of their contracted hours for 100% of their pay – for Rise that means staff work Monday to Thursday with every Friday off.
After Rise’s initial trial period (June-December 2023) a survey of partners and staff showed:
Rise's ‘Net Promoter Score’ from its partners (how satisfied they are with the service provided) increased slightly to +80 when compared to the target figure of +78 (the score ranges from –100 through to +100)
100% of staff polled said they feel confident or very confident that the 4-day week is a sustainable way of working.
The charity has extended the trial for a further six months, until June 2024, in order to review a full financial year’s worth of impact before determining whether the change will become permanent.
Clare Morley, chief executive at Rise, said: “At Rise we are always looking for innovative ways to lead from the front in protecting and enhancing physical and mental health, both for our staff and for the wider population. We recognise that the wellbeing of our team is integral to us achieving our mission of improving lives through physical activity.
“We’re pleased with the results of the trial so far – the people we work with are very satisfied with our service and our staff have reported a good work-life balance.
“It’s been important to ensure that our productivity stays the same, which is why we’ve extended the trial - to ensure that this new way of working works for everyone. The recent survey results show that our staff have maintained a consistent level of high-quality work over four days instead of five, which is testament to their hard work and dedication.”
Why staff love the 4-day week
Photo credit: Sol Daley
“I’m well-rested for weightlifting”
Liliana Ciaraolo, development officer:
“The four-day week has contributed to my physical wellbeing. I train in Olympic Weightlifting four times a week and having that day off gives me a chance to recover, and make sure I'm well-rested for my next training session.
I’m training hard for a competition in May. Alongside work, training is a big part of my life – but I now have one day a week where I know I can rest and rejuvenate because I have no work or training.”
“I feel valued”
Paul Biddle, research & insight development manager:
“The extra day to myself is great for being able to see my friends and family – I'm originally from Nottingham, which is a six-hour round trip. Having that day off means I can see my parents and friends over a weekend, which I probably wouldn’t be able to do over two days.
I also feel more energised – and I feel valued.
To make it work, it’s important to be super-organised and to be discerning – we have to work smarter!”
“It’s a breath of fresh air”
Louise Wallace, development manager - children & young people:
“It helps my work-life balance and means that I get to spend more time with my family. I have two children, including a two-year-old daughter and this means I get to spend time with her, as well as doing the school run with a lot less stress. I also save £200 a month in childcare costs.
“It’s definitely helped reduce the ‘mum-guilt’! Working and being present for your kids often comes into conflict but working at Rise gives me flexibility. It really has been a breath of fresh air – we get a bank holiday every week!”
“I’ve been able to teach myself healthy financial habits”
Miles Lowson, business development manager:
“When I first started at Rise it was early in my career and it was the first time I'd started to get pay checks. Going from university straight into the working world I saw that other people have a budget in place but it was all new to me and I knew that finances and money was an area I needed to look at and educate myself.
Having the Friday off, especially at the start of my career meant I could do something productive. I've been able to teach myself healthy financial habits by reading things online, watching YouTube videos and listening to podcasts.
I now have a budget in place and I've been learning a lot about money, including investments and how best to start saving for a house.”