Four-day week catches on in London

A New Zealand firm’s four-day working week initiative is gaining traction internationally.

Perpetual Guardian made a 32-hour week an option for all fulltime staff members from November last year. Managing director Andrew Barnes said staff productivity lifted 20 per cent during a trial of the shorter working week and staff were more engaged.

‘‘We have proven the concept and developed a model workable for our business,’’ Barnes said.

Now, London employer the Wellcome Trust is considering a similar move for its 800 head office staff. Wellcome is an independent biomedical research charity, established in 1936.

A trial could start by the northern hemisphere’s autumn, in which workers would have Fridays off each week.

Wellcome said it had been watching Perpetual Guardian’s initiative in New Zealand. The trust’s policy director, Ed Whiting, told British media it was looking for ways to boost staff wellbeing and increase the impact made towards its charitable mission.

‘‘Moving to a four-day week is one of a number of very early ideas . . . It will be some months before we can consider a formal decision.’’

He told The Guardian: ‘‘It looks like moving the working week to four days rather than five gets you a broader productivity and wellbeing benefit. You have a healthier workforce, a reduction in sickness absence and improved sense of work-life balance.’’

Some parts of the organisation already have a no-emails policy in the evenings or at weekends.