Trialling Times: Four Day Working Week​

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By Rachel Strickland​

The Story

Results from the world’s largest ‘four-day working week’ trial have been released. In cutting working hours from 40 to either a 35 or 36-hour week without a reduction in pay, results showed improved physical and psychological health of the participants, alongside broader benefits such as more encouraging management, and less confusion over roles in the workplace.

Importantly, the trial - involving 1.3% of Iceland's population - found that existing levels of service provision and productivity were either maintained or improved. For example, Reykjavik’s department of accountancy recorded a 6.5% increase in the number of invoices it processed during the trial period (The Economist).

Understandably, there were concerns that cutting working hours would mean increased workloads to keep up with the shorter schedule; however, the results showed that employees and employers rethought how tasks could be completed - such as by shortening meetings, cutting out unnecessary tasks, and reorganising shifts arrangements.

Following the trial, 86% of Iceland’s entire working population have now moved to either working shorter hours, or are pursuing contracts that allow them to in the future.

What It Means For Businesses And Law Firms

Icelandic companies are not alone. In 2019, Microsoft Japan conducted a four-day working week experiment (while maintaining the same pay) which resulted in a sales increase of nearly 40% and reduced electricity consumption of 23% (BBC News). Similarly, since November 2020, Unilever has been piloting a four-day working week (while maintaining the same pay) for its 81 staff in New Zealand. After a year, Unilever will “look at the lessons the experiment offers” for the rest of its 155,000 strong global workforce (Financial Times).

In May 2021, research and advocacy organisation Platform London released a report concluding that by 2025, shifting to a four-day working week (while maintaining the same pay) could reduce the UK’s carbon footprint by 127 million tonnes per year. Moreover, it's important to note that productivity increases in the UK have been close to zero since the 2008 financial crisis, providing fertile ground for companies to review allocation of resources and working practices (The Guardian).

Long criticised for presenteeism culture and long hours, law firms might also benefit from reviewing working practices. The pandemic has undoubtedly been a test for remote working, while bringing issues of work-life balance to the fore. If law firms were to experiment with a four-day working week, there is also a compelling case for diversity and inclusion - a shorter working week might attract those taking a career break, or with different responsibilities, to return to the workplace (thegazette.co.uk). In addition, a prospective four-day work week might accelerate the move in the legal profession from billable hours to fixed fee or other more flexible arrangements (Financial Times).