Morrisons is amongst a new six-month trial, which has been launched to test the idea of a four-day working week.
The Big 4 grocer joins as many as 30 UK companies trialling a one day reduction in the working week, which is led by 4 Day Week Global, in partnership with think tank Autonomy.
These companies include FMCG giant Unilever alongside software firms and medial NGO’s.
Employees will be asked to do the same amount of work for up to 35 hours a week, but will be split over four days instead of five, and with the same amount of pay.
In a statement on it careers website, Morrisons said: “At head office we’re beginning to introduce a brand new four-day week working concept, which means many of our people will work nine hour shifts instead of eight hours, with a six hour Saturday shift 13 times a year.
READ MORE: Morrisons confirms slashing pay for unvaccinated staff
“The idea is that this innovative new way of working will mean we’re much more flexible and responsive, and we think it will make Morrisons a place where more people will want to join – and stay.”
The scheme is set to launch in the UK, US, Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, with researchers at Oxford University, Boston College and Cambridge University monitoring the results.
“More and more businesses are moving to productivity focused strategies to enable them to reduce worker hours without reducing pay,” 4 Day Week Global pilot manager Joe O’Connor said.
“We are excited by the growing momentum and interest in our pilot program and in the four-day week more broadly.
“The four-day week challenges the current model of work and helps companies move away from simply measuring how long people are ‘at work’, to a sharper focus on the output being produced. 2022 will be the year that heralds in this bold new future of work.”
Click here to sign up to Grocery Gazette’s free daily email newsletter
