Scottish govt urged to expand pilot of four day working week

EDINBURGH: More than eight out of 10 Scots would support the introduction of a four-day working week, a new poll has found.

Research for the think tank IPPR Scotland found 80 per cent of people believed that cutting their numbers of days at work — with no loss of pay — would have a “positive effect on their wellbeing”. As well as finding that more than 80 per cent would back such a change, the survey found that 88 per cent would be willing to take part in trial schemes being set up by Holyrood ministers.

Pilots are being staged in the wake of changes in working practices brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, with the SNP having pledged a £10 million fund for companies trialling a four-day week.

But IPPR Scotland said the Scottish government should expand such schemes to include more sectors of the economy, and so that people working non-office based jobs, those who do shift work and part-time employees can all take part.

The think tank argued that unless lower paid sectors are included in the pilot, along with those who may find making the shift to a four-day week more difficult, the trial schemes may not properly test the impact of such a switch. However the poll — for which some of 2,203 people aged between 16 and 65 were questioned — also found that almost two thirds (65 per cent) believe a shorter working week could boost Scotland’s productivity.

Rachel Statham, senior research fellow at IPPR Scotland said: “The Scottish government is right to be trialling a four-day working week because today’s evidence shows that it is a policy with overwhelming public support, and could be a positive step towards building an economy hardwired for wellbeing.

“But any successful transition post-Covid-19 must include all kinds of workplaces, and all types of work. The full-time, nine-to-five office job is not how many people across Scotland work — and shorter working time trials need to reflect that reality.

“So we must examine what shorter working time looks like from the perspective of shift workers, those working excessive hours to make ends meet, or those who currently have fewer hours than they would like to have.”