Fancy a Four-Day Week? Scotland Is Urged to Expand Trials

(Bloomberg) -- The Scottish government’s trial of a four-day week for office workers should be expanded across other areas of the economy as part of the nation’s post-Covid recovery, according to a prominent think tank.

The Institute for Public Policy Research called for more pilot programs in industries such as health care and hospitality. It also proposed ministers set up a commission to examine fair work. An IPPR survey found that 88% of respondents would be willing to participate in a four-day week trial. 

“To maximize opportunity for learning, however, trials should be more ambitious in terms of scale and design,” the report said.

The pro-independence Scottish National Party, which runs the administration in Edinburgh, promised in its election manifesto to test the idea of a shorter working week. The focus is on improving the well-being of employees without their losing pay. It aims to create a 10 million-pound ($13.8 million) fund to allow interested companies to explore the benefits.

In the meantime, labor shortages across the U.K. are hampering logistics companies, supermarkets and pubs and restaurants. In some parts of Scotland, the hospitality industry has reduced opening hours because employers don’t have enough people.

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