The team hope others will follow in their footsteps (Picture: Vault City/Getty)
For many of us, the idea of a four-day working week would be a dream come true – and now, some companies across the UK are introducing it to their workplaces.
Vault City Brewing became the first commercial brewery in the UK to adopt a four-day working week after its trial proved to be a win-win with turnover increasing by 175%.
The firm’s 13 employees now work from 8am to 5.30pm Monday to Thursday, with the working week reduced from 40 hours a week to 35.
Staff at all levels of the business working across Vault City’s office, brewery and bar operations are now sharing the difference a four day working week makes to their lives in the hope that other businesses will follow suit – with many hailing the increased flexibility around annual leave, appointments and childcare; improved mental health; and increased energy and productivity levels.
In good news for the rest of the UK, MPs will be discussing a new bill to introduce a four-day working week next month after a bill made it through the first parliamentary hurdle.
With the news that we could be getting closer to making our four-day work week dreams a reality, the team at Vault City Brewing told Metro.co.uk about the differences the change has made to their lives.
Thanks to a four-day work week, Vendy is able to go home to her family in the Czech Republic more often (Picture: Vault City Brewing)
Vendy Rychtecka, operations supervisor
‘I have really enjoyed the change to a four-day working week. It allows me to make my holidays go further with lots of long weekends back home to see my family in the Czech Republic.
‘Spending three days instead of two out socialising with friends and catching up on general life admin helps me feel more focused and energised through the week.
‘It has massive benefits for mental health too.’
Charlotte Brook, sales coordinator
‘The work life balance I have with a four-day work week is amazing.
‘I get to enjoy my time off to the fullest, take trips away on long weekends without using annual leave, and come back to work on Monday feeling refreshed.
‘I feel more mentally and emotionally well rested, and less tired.
‘It’s a big perk of working at Vault City, and I don’t think I could go back to a five-day working week now.’
For Andy, a four day working week means more time with his son (Picture: Vault City Brewing)
Andy Wilkie, operations director
‘It’s made a huge difference from a recruitment perspective, and we find that the team are well refreshed and raring to go on Mondays after a three-day weekend.
‘From a personal perspective it’s great for childcare, and gives me more time to spend with my son.’
It’s not just Vault City Brewing that’s seeing success with the four-day working week model.
A four-day workweek may no longer be a ‘future dream’ after nine in 10 companies taking part in a UK-wide trial said they’d extend the policy beyond a six-month trial.
More than 3,300 workers in 73 companies that include banks, retailers, healthcare, hospitality and more agreed to take part in the trial from June to November in which staff would work four days, but be paid for five.
The pilot, which is set to end next month, is being organised by nonprofits 4 Day Week Global and 4 Day Week UK Campaign alongside Autonomy, which studies the impact of labour on well-being, and researchers at Cambridge University, Oxford University and Boston College.
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We could be getting closer to it being a reality for everyone