A four-day working week could broaden the “existing inequalities” between frontline and white-collar workers regarding race and gender, a new report has said.
The year-long consultation from the Welsh government concluded that while reducing working hours by 20 per cent would have a positive impact on the mental and physical health of many people, those on the frontline would not feel the same benefits.
Discussing possible dangers of the reduced workload, the report said the shorter week could “widen existing inequalities between groups of workers i.e. office workers versus those on the frontline".
It suggested that reduced hours could discriminate against ethnic workers who operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
A new report from the Welsh government has found that four-day work weeks could widen 'existing inequalities' between employees
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The report continued: “Given the different gender, race and other characteristics of different workforces in the public sector, there is potential for negative and differential impacts on particular protected characteristics. In some circumstances, worker entitlements to welfare benefits may also be put at risk.”
Other drawbacks of the reduced working week were highlighted in the report, which was comprised of a group of senior Welsh government civil servants and public sector bosses.
Joe O’Connor, former CEO of Four Day Week Global, admitted that the structure would not benefit all industries.
While highlighting industries such as tech and finance that have already started to adopt the structure, O’Connor said some sectors, such as healthcare, could face problems.
He said that they would have to either increase staff or costs to account for the restructure.
One member of the group backed up this theory, stating that allowing workers to have an extra day off would require them to hire an additional 179 staff on full-time contracts to uphold the same levels of service.
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Professor Abigail Marks, Professor of the future of work and director of research at Newcastle University Business School, expressed doubts about the scheme.
She said: “It is not viable across all sectors, especially for low-paid and precarious workers who are already struggling with work insecurity and low wages.”
Marks also said that a shorter week could lead to overwork, as employees would have to cram more tasks into fewer hours.
Despite the drawbacks outlined in the report, the consultation concluded that the Welsh government begin trialling the shorter week in public-sector jobs.
Benefits mentioned included improved productivity, employee well-being, and environmental sustainability.
It also focused on Iceland’s tests with shorter working hours, which trialled 2,500 workers from various sectors.
The report considers the trials to be a “success”, writing: “They had positive effects on both employees and businesses. Workers reported improved work-life balance, reduced stress, more time for family and hobbies, and better cooperation at work. Service provision and productivity remained the same or improved across most workplaces, and some workplaces saw increased efficiency and customer satisfaction.”
The consultation concluded that the Welsh government begin trialling the shorter week in public-sector jobs
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Andrew Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said the Welsh government should ignore the proposals.
He said: “Plans for a four-day week in the public sector should be dropped, and services for users should be prioritised instead.
“Pushing forward with this project, which has failed elsewhere, would be the wrong decision from this Labour Welsh government.
“Taxpayers in Wales are paying for these services, and their interests should be considered when it comes to public sector working conditions.”
A Welsh government spokesman said: “There are no plans to introduce a four-day week across the public sector in Wales.
"Whilst the working group identified a range of potential benefits, they also highlighted the many complexities involved in adopting a four-day week and the impact these could have on a range of groups and individuals.”