Second big British supermarket launches four-day work week for thousands of staff

Second big British supermarket launches four-day work week for thousands of staff

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GB News
George Bunn

By George Bunn


Published: 21/01/2024

- 15:01

Morrisons has announced it would follow Asda and allow the scheme for thousands of staff

Morrisons has become the second supermarket to introduce a four-day work week.

Staff at the supermarket's Bradford HQ is allowing their workers to move to a four-and-a-half-day week.


The supermarket first introduced a four-day week, four-years-ago, but it led to the head office staff being made to work 13 Saturdays a year as part of their updated contracts.

Under the new plans, workers at Morrisons aren't needed on Saturday but they will still have to maintain 37.5 hours-a-week.

\u200bMorrisons has announced it will be rolling it out

Morrisons has announced it will be rolling the scheme out

PA

It comes after Asda also launched the initiative last week among its store managers as it pursues a "case for change" following the Covid pandemic.

An Asda spokesman told The Sun: "Since September 2023, we have been trialling a variety of flexible working patterns for managers in 20 stores, including a four day working week for the same pay and benefits.

"More flexible working patterns have become commonplace in retail leadership in recent years, and we are keen to test and learn different ways of working that benefit our colleagues and business.

"While we are still evaluating the results of this trial, the feedback from participating colleagues has been very positive. Asda has also invested a total of £325m in increasing pay for both store-based and logistics colleagues since 2022."

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\u200bThe supermarket is trialling

The supermarket is trialling the scheme

PA

Sainsbury’s and M&S also introduced flexible working policies that allowed staff to work compressed weeks last year.

M&S group HR director Sarah Findlater said: “We want M&S to be a great place to work and shop – that means having engaged colleagues with a good work-life balance.

"Retail is a fast-paced industry but that shouldn’t mean missing out on the moments that matter.

"Whether caring commitments, the chance to get involved in your local community or to prioritise your own mental and physical wellbeing."

M&S

M&S also introduced flexible working policies that allowed staff to work compressed weeks

PA

The world’s biggest trial of a four-day working week was praised as a "major breakthrough" last year.

The trial saw 61 companies across a variety of sectors in the UK commit to reducing their working hours for all staff by 20 per cent, for six months from June 2022.

The results revealed a significant drop in the rates of stress and illness among the approximately 2,900 staff trying a shorter working week.

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