We call on the University of Bristol to transition to a typical four-day, 32 hour working week default for staff, with no loss of pay.​

We also ask University of Bristol to consider the results of our four-day working week survey from staff members.

Over 200 UK companies – including South Cambridgeshire District Council - employing more than 5,000 people from a range of sectors have already adopted a four-day working week - demonstrating that productivity can be maintained or even increased while providing workers with more time to rest, pursue personal interests and spend time with their families.

The 9-5, five-day working week is a legacy of a past industrial age and no longer suits the realities of modern life. We are long overdue an update.

Today, British workers put in the longest full-time working hours compared to almost every country in the EU and at the same time we have one of the least productive economies.

Research conducted by the 4 Day Week Global Campaign has found that: 63% of organisations find it easier to attract and retain staff with a four-day week and 78% of employees with a four-day week are happier and less stressed and 92% of companies in the UK opted to continue with the four day week​.

A four-day week improves employee well-being by providing more time for rest, reducing burnout, and contributing to mental and physical health. It also helps employers to attract and retain talent, as workers increasingly seek better work-life balance. Evidence from trials and studies suggests that the four-day week leads to higher productivity per hour worked, as employees become more focused and motivated.

With many University of Bristol staff with young families and UK childcare costs being some of the highest in the world having an additional non working day could dramatically reduce their household expenditure.

As noted in the University of Bristol’s flexible working policy the current typical working week is 35 hours, with many staff utilising the compressed hours arrangement. This means they already work a four-day week every other week. An 8.5% reduction in contracted hours would allow all employees to extend this to every week. Reducing the full-time working week by three hours a week to a 32-hour working week is not a difficult or inconceivable transition for the University from what is already the status quo.

Similarly, current part-time workers could also stand to benefit from a pro-rata 8.5% reduction in their working hours with no loss of pay, provided job descriptions and workload expectations are realistic for the number of hours worked. Whilst the intent of this campaign is to reduce working hours and improve work life balance of staff and the benefits of being a University of Bristol employee, we recognise that some staff are in circumstances where they would still want their 32-hour working week spread among five days. We would welcome that flexibility.

With the University of Bristol aiming to act now and reduce costs, having staff working fewer days could reduce the demand on desk and office space for staff, allowing the University to end lease costs of some non-University owned buildings.

The University of Bristol would bolster and help cement their reputation as a cutting-edge employer and institution among staff, students, Bristol and the wider community. Further, they’d be helping lead the way nationally and in the sector on being a four-day working week employer as a key component of changing our working life.

We call on the University to commit to implementing a 32 hour/four-day working week trial in the institution, with the view to making it permanent.

University of Bristol Unison