Workers in the UK could be given the right to request a four-day working week under new government plans, but would still have to work their usual contracted hours.
Education Secretary Jacqui Smith on Friday morning denied reports that businesses would be forced to accept these demands, but said workers could be given the option to work fewer days through “compressed hours”.
She told LBC radio: “We think flexible working is actually good for productivity. So the four-day working week that I know of is on the front page of quite a few newspapers these days, what we’re really talking about is the type of flexible working that allows you to have compressed hours.
“So maybe instead of working eight hours a day for five days, you’re working 10 hours a day for four days. So you’re still doing the same amount of work, but maybe you’re doing it in a way that allows you to, say, reduce the need for childcare, spend more time with your family, do other things, which encourages more people to come into the workforce, which is a huge part of that growth mission.”
Asked about jobs like teaching, which wouldn’t be able to work a four-day week with compressed hours, Smith said, “Well, no, and a lot of other people can’t either, but that doesn’t mean the people who can shouldn’t be able to.”
A Department for Trade and Business spokesman also denied that Labour would “impose” the working pattern on businesses.
A Whitehall spokesman said: “We have no plans to impose a four-day working week on either employers or employees. Any changes to employment law will be discussed in conjunction with the business community.
“Our Make Work Pay scheme is designed to increase productivity and create the right conditions for businesses to support continued economic growth. Many employers already offer good, family-friendly conditions for their employees because they know this improves morale and retention.
“We work closely with business and civil society to strike the balance between improving workers’ rights and supporting the brilliant companies that pay people’s wages.”
The Department of Commerce and Business said it would release further details on its approach within 100 days.
Joe Ryle, director of the 4 Day Week campaign, welcomed the proposals as a step towards reducing overall working hours in the UK.
He said: “This is a welcome move from the government, which recognises that the future of work we are moving towards is a four-day working week for everyone. However, these proposals would only allow workers to compress rather than reduce their working hours, which we believe is essential for improving work-life balance and also maintaining productivity.
“Squeezing the same number of hours into four days instead of five can be an important first step toward a true four-day workweek – but reducing total working hours is key.”
Two days after Rishi Sunak called a general election in May, Labour published a document entitled Plan to make work payThe plan did not propose a four-day working week, but committed the party to banning zero-hours contracts and replacing them with documents reflecting the number of hours an employee regularly worked, a “real living wage” and an end to “fire and rehire” practices where workers were fired and then rehired on new terms.
A Labour source said the Telegraph The Conservative Party made a similar proposal in their 2019 election manifesto, stating: “We will encourage flexible working and consult with employers to make it the default unless there is a good reason not to do so.”