Fairway Homecare’s introduction of a four-day week for its head office staff – without cutting their pay- has led to a happier, more productive workforce.
With almost 40 employees in its head office in Sutton Coldfield, Fairway Homecare decided to create a more flexible workplace by reducing working hours to four days a week instead of the traditional five to improve its employees’ work/life balance. As a result, the home care firm reports 100 per cent of head office staff are happier and 90 per cent are more productive at work, and a separate UK pilot is now being trialled in 30 companies.
‘They deserve it’
Alex O’Neill, operations director at Fairway Homecare said: “We hoped that by introducing a four-day week it would inspire our staff to continue to work hard and achieve incredible results, whilst also allowing them to achieve a more realistic work/life balance and it seems as though this is already working.
“The atmosphere in the office is incredible and people are talking about how much they’re valuing that extra day off a week to run errands, look after their children or loved ones and just take some time for themselves.
“Being rewarded to be successful whilst you are working, and to enjoy your life when you are not, is at the centre of our thought process. We want people to be efficient with their time, be ambitious and hungry to achieve and know that if they really work hard when in the office or on duty, the benefits of the three-day weekend will become priceless.”
The new working practice is operating on a scheduled basis that is decided between staff. The move sees each worker benefit from around six weeks less work time per year, which is ”something our staff are very excited about.”
“Our existing team has worked tirelessly through the COVID-19 pandemic and has enabled us to grow as a business, even in the most challenging of circumstances.
“Therefore, it is with their mental wellbeing, their attitude and their professionalism in mind that we are confident that this innovative change to our working practices will be a success for all and they deserve it after the last couple of years being so difficult.”
