The UK works longer hours than most of Europe.
It is not making us more productive.
It is making us Stressed, over-worked and Burnt out.
It’s time for a 4 Day Week.
We invented the weekend a century ago and it's time for an update. Since the 1980s working hours have barely reduced at all, despite rising automation and new technology.
We're long overdue a four-day working week which would benefit our society, our economy, our environment and our democracy.
There are a number of options for introducing shorter working-time, which will reflect the requirements of different sectors. We campaign for a four-day, 32-hour working week with no reduction in pay.
Society
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Better mental & physical health – more time to recuperate, exercise, socialise and spend time with family.
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A fairer society – a more equal share of paid and unpaid work, including of caring roles traditionally ascribed to women.
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Strengthened communities – more time to build relationships, to care for children, the elderly and the disabled.
Economy
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Lower unemployment – Incredibly, the UK suffers simultaneously from overwork, unemployment and underemployment. A four-day week is an intuitively simple way to rebalance the economy and address many problems.
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Increased productivity - numerous studies show that working fewer hours would boost the UK’s productivity.
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Boost to tourism - with more free leisure time, the tourism sector would benefit from people taking more short breaks in the UK.
Environment
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A more sustainable lifestyle – more free time allows us to make environmentally positive choices; cycling and walking instead of driving, cooking with fresh ingredients rather than buying energy-intensive ready meals.
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A reduced carbon footprint – Research has shown that a four-day week could reduce the UK's carbon footprint by 127 million tonnes per year, equivalent to taking 27 million cars off the road (effectively the entire UK private car fleet).
Democracy
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More time to engage with politics, participate in local campaigns and shape society at a local, national and international level