Political parties are being urged to send a “very strong message” to businesses by including plans for a four-day working week in their election manifestos.
Advice Direct Scotland said that there was already “strong public support” in Scotland for the policy.
With parties contesting the May 6 Holyrood election due to unveil their manifestos in the coming weeks, the organisation, which brought in a four-day working week for its own staff in 2018, urged political leaders to consider the policy, which it said had benefits for businesses and staff.
Advice Direct Scotland provides free “advice to everyone regardless of age, background or circumstance. Our advice is impartial and free of prejudice.” It said that absenteeism had fallen by more than 75 per cent since it brought in a reduced working week. It added that the four-day working week was now well established in countries such as Norway and Denmark.
A report last year said that 70 per cent of people backed a four-day week, with 8 per cent opposed or strongly opposed.
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Andrew Bartlett, chief executive of Advice Direct Scotland, said: “The four-day week has been shown to work in the places where it has been tried, and the idea has strong public support in Scotland.
“It is well established in productive and efficient economies like Norway and Denmark and looks set to be introduced in New Zealand too.”
He added: “This isn’t about businesses just giving staff a free day off each week. We know from our own experience that staff are far happier and more productive as a result of the four-day week, and that absenteeism has fallen significantly.
“There is much to be gained for businesses which adopt a four-day week. For those which can make it work, they will soon find the positives far outweigh any negatives. By including this in their manifestos ahead of the May vote, Scotland’s political parties can send a very strong message to businesses of all sizes about the value of this approach.”
