The UK’s biggest ever trial of a four-day working week has led to continued adoption by the majority of participating companies, with managers, administrators and CEOs reporting extremely positive impacts. The six-month trial in 2022 saw 61 organizations reduce workload, resulting in lower work intensity and increased job satisfaction, with 96% of employees noticing improvements in their personal lives and 86% feeling more productive. Very motivated by the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in workplace flexibility, the study highlights significant improvements in the physical and mental health of its workers, with unions across Europe advocating for wider adoption, despite government uncertainty.
The UK government has implemented a comprehensive return to work plan, aiming to support citizens in finding and keeping a job. This initiative includes greater support for individuals with disabilities and health problems, as well as stricter sanctions in terms of benefits for those who refuse job offers. Key programs such as NHS Talking Therapies and the new WorkWell service will support up to 1.1 million people, tackling the rise in long-term illnesses and improving economic growth and living standards.
Over a fifth of working-age adults in the UK are not actively seeking employment, with the economic inactivity rate reaching 21.8% between November and January, slightly higher than the previous year. This trend, partly caused by long-term illnesses, has resulted in more than 9 million people neither working nor looking for work. These numbers are alarming as they are considerably higher than those recorded before the years of pandemic. In order to solve the worker shortage and stimulate growth, government plans include reducing Social Security contributions and expanding free childcare services for working parents.
The UK government will invest £1.5 million in five projects aimed at improving occupational health services for small and medium-sized businesses. All of this will be done using cutting-edge technology and artificial intelligence to combat workplace illnesses and boost economic activity. One standout initiative is Kinseed Limited’s “MediWork,” a cloud-based platform that uses AI to monitor employee health trends and provide personalized health-improving suggestions, with the goal of reducing long-term illness and supporting well-being at the workplace. These reforms are part of a wider government strategy, which includes the WorkWell service and significant funding for mental health, to reduce economic inactivity, helping people stay healthy and productive at work.