Knowledge Hub: 4-Day Work Week

The 4-day work week may soon become an inevitability. History shows that these changes take decades to be fully embraced, but are accelerated by social upheaval. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, SMEs are beginning to drive a change in attitude. More than 100 UK companies are already 4-day week accredited employers.

This Knowledge Hub session is an opportunity to hear leading authority Dr Charlotte Rae’s insights from a major new study investigating how a 4 day working week affects wellbeing and workplace performance. In last year’s national trial, 60 companies and 3000 employees took part. 92% of these participants have chosen to continue with the 4-day week, reporting increased productivity, reduced burnout, better mental health, enthusiasm and engagement with work.

The session will cover:

• How might the 4-day week work in practice for your business?
• What are the benefits for different types of employer?
• What are the considerations before implementing a 4-day work week?
• Opportunities to take part in a trial at a local and national level, and benefit from expert consultancy

About the speaker: 

Meet Dr Charlotte Rae, Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Sussex. Dr Rae’s lab investigates the processes by which how we feel influences the ways in which we behave. She specialises in examining how work and sleep patterns affect cognition and behaviour, and in 2022 launched the Sussex 4-Day Week project, a landmark study into the impact of a reduced working week on wellbeing and workplace performance.

Additional Information: Knowledge Hub events are free knowledge-sharing sessions for Sussex Innovation members. If you are not currently a member of Sussex Innovation, you are welcome to join us for a free Knowledge Hub taster session to see if you would like to join our community.