The race for talent – Talking points: the four day week

The next session in The race for talent campaign and first in our new mini-series, The race for talent – Talking points: the four day week.

As we emerge from the global pandemic into the new working world, employers are facing acute challenges to recruit and retain their staff. The remarkable acceleration in flexible and hybrid working has only highlighted the new demands of the workforce and companies are racing to adapt to meet these needs.

This race for talent has only widened the skills gap further and employers must act fast. Over the next 12 months, guidance from our employment, reward and immigration team will help employers navigate the pitfalls and prepare for the challenges around retaining and recruiting staff to stay ahead in this race for talent.

This bitesize session is focusing on the hugely topical four day working week. In June more than 70 UK companies began a 6 month pilot trailing a new four day working week for employees with no loss of pay. Following similar pilots in the United States, Canada and Australia, the trial is based on a model that exchanges time working for a commitment to maintain productivity. Flexible working has accelerated at unprecedented levels in response to the pandemic and some experts see this as the next stop on that journey.

Our panel of global employment experts from the UK, the UAE and Belgium will share their views on what’s happening in their jurisdictions and also delve deeper into this proposal and what it could mean for employers – from a legal as well as a practical standpoint. They will look at the potential benefits of adopting a 4 day working week and also offer thinking around possible legal and real-life challenges.