Workers could get right to four-day week

[bitchstewie]

This clearly isn't suitable for all businesses but it's interesting to see this sort of initiative being given serious consideration and what might be the right to ensure it's at least considered seriously rather than dismissed out of hand.

Workers could get right to four-day week

[grumbledoak]

Are you paid to drive traffic to their websites?

[bitchstewie]

Yes I'm actually Naga Munchetty.

Or perhaps we're on a forum about News, Politics & Economics and this is a news story that's on the front page of the BBC and the Telegraph.

[Mr Penguin]

Like all flexible working proposals it depends on what the employer needs to say to reject it.

[Challo]

This is happening already in businesses, but it will be interesting to see the detail around what the legislation would say.

I theory they could give employee's the right to ask, but its up to the employer to decide if its appropriate.

Some industries / companies / roles it could work and others it wont.

Ultimately it should be up to the company to approve, but I do not see it being an issue to allow employee's to make the ask.

[bitchstewie]

Agreed and I assume any legislation might mean an employer has to demonstrate they've given the request a reasonable and fair hearing rather than a default "no".

[Rufus Stone]

bhstewie said:

Yes I'm actually Naga Munchetty.

[snuffy]

You now have the right to ask for a 4 day working week (which every single employee has always had in any case).

OK, great;

Can I work 4 days a week?

No

[Rufus Stone]

My business has always been closed on Fridays. New clients quickly get used to it and it's rarely caused an issue. Staff love it, especially those with children at school, it gives them a day to themselves once a week.

[Countdown]

We already do it (sort of) - Its 9 days out of 10 if you want to work compressed hours. Combined with flexi it makes for a very nice working environment.

[LimaDelta]

I don't see the issue. I assume it is commensurate with a 20% cut in salary?

[Venisonpie]

I've recently moved to a 4 day week, bloody fantastic - more so than working from home which I do 1 day a week.

None of my customers complain and my team like it as it gives them a day without an old git hanging about!

[valiant]

LimaDelta said:

I don't see the issue. I assume it is commensurate with a 20% cut in salary?

Why if it's a compressed working week?

[snuffy]

LimaDelta said:

I don't see the issue. I assume it is commensurate with a 20% cut in salary?

That's not the proposal.

[Mammasaid]

LimaDelta said:

I don't see the issue. I assume it is commensurate with a 20% cut in salary?

Tell me you didn't read the article, without telling me you didn't read the article.

We currently do similar, work an extra hour Mon-Thur, then finish 4 hours early on Friday, works well for us.

[Venisonpie]

LimaDelta said:

I don't see the issue. I assume it is commensurate with a 20% cut in salary?

Depends on your contracted hours, I do the same hrs but in 4 days not 5. That said, as in any senior job, you do what's needed. Sometimes more than contracted sonetimes less. Its output thats important.

[LimaDelta]

My comment was obviously (clearly not obviously) tongue-in-cheek.

[BOR]

I sort of do this already.

But I didn't discuss it with my boss.

[E63eeeeee...]

Oh, when will someone think about the poor day rate contractors?

In seriousness, I think this is perfectly sensible, it's just an extension of the right to ask for flexible working. There's nothing intrinsically magical about working 5 days a week after all.

[bitchstewie]

BOR said:

I sort of do this already.

But I didn't discuss it with my boss.