Glossary · UK
What is Four-Day Week?
A working pattern in which employees work four days instead of five, sometimes for the same pay if productivity is maintained.
Full Definition
A four-day week is an arrangement where an employee works four days rather than the traditional five. There are two main models: a genuine reduction in hours (often with a proportionate cut in pay), or the '100-80-100' model where staff keep full pay and hours are compressed or productivity is maintained over fewer days. In the UK there is no statutory right to a four-day week, so it is usually obtained through a flexible working request or an employer-wide policy following trial schemes. The pay impact depends on the model: where hours and pay both fall, gross earnings, National Insurance and pension contributions reduce accordingly; where pay is kept whole, take-home is unchanged. It matters for work-life balance, recruitment and retention, but employees should check how any reduction affects holiday entitlement, statutory payments and pension accrual before agreeing. Always confirm the exact hours and salary in writing.