Belfast agency Loud Mouth Media is to pilot a four-day week for its staff as part of a UK-wide experiment.
The digital advertising firm has been accepted on a pilot programme for six month to investigate whether output can be maintained at current levels by switching to a four-day week.
It is run by 4-Day Week Global and will be run in partnership with think tank Autonomy and researchers at Cambridge University, Boston College and Oxford University.
Loud Mouth will switch to the new working model from 6 th June and is one of just 60 companies in the trial running parallel to pilot schemes in Ireland, the US and Canada.
4-Day Week Global’s approach is based on the 100:80:100 principle – 100% of the pay, for 80% of the time, in exchange for a commitment to delivering 100% of the output.
It said the model is proven to deliver both improved company productivity, efficiency and performance, alongside greater employee wellbeing, engagement, and work-life balance.
“It’s exciting to be able to offer a better work life balance for our talented team whilst continuing to deliver a quality service to clients,” Mark Haslam, Managing Director of Loud Mouth Media, said. “I have every confidence that the team will adapt well to the new model, and I know we’re all excited to see it introduced next month.
He said Covid-19 had refocused the company’s attention on its staff.
“During the pandemic while we worked from home a big focus for us was the wellbeing of our staff and as we return to the office and an increasingly normal structure, we want to continue to ensure the team have the balance they deserve, to adequately rest and have quality time with friends and family,” he said. “I’m particularly interested in the research that shows a 4-day working week benefits mental and physical health, particularly in relation to how this can increase productivity.”
“In addition, we’ll be enabling our team to reduce their carbon footprint with fewer commutes and less time spent in office. Businesses have a responsibility to make positive change and better the communities we’re part of right across the board so to pilot this working model is for us a no brainer.”