Downing Street slaps down four-day week idea after tsar says it could be ‘new normal’ after Covid
DOWNING Street today slapped down suggestions that Brits could enjoy a four-day working week as the "new normal" following the pandemic.
Chairman of the government's Flexible Working Taskforce, Peter Cheese, believes there is a "generational opportunity" to adapt conventional employment traditions after coronavirus wreaked havoc upon workplaces.
He said that flexible working could become the "norm, not an exception" and "can and should be seen as just as much an acceptable way of working as a more standard five-day working week."
Mr Cheese said the pandemic was a "catalyst" that is "absolutely fuelling" the concept of more balance between employee's work and home lives.
He thinks the UK should "move away" from the nine-to-five culture and embrace the balance that working from home has brought to Brits.
He told : "There are a variety of mechanisms by which you can support people in these more flexible ways of working, which can be helpful in terms of inclusion and wellbeing and balance of life.
"What we refer to as the standard five-day working week, that's what will begin to change. And it could emerge in lots of different forms, one of which could be a four-day working week.
"I don’t think we’re at that point," he continued.
"But, who knows? I think if we can really make some of these things work for us, if we can really make technology enable a better balance of work, and all those other things help us all, then maybe we will see more of those sorts of things being adopted."
Mr Cheese, the head of industry group the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, said any change would come from "emergent practice".
"In other words, organisations starting to do things like that, rather than government edicts."
But Downing Street insisted today: "There are no plans to get to a four day working week in the UK.
"Employees and employers need to be able to make arrangements which work best in that particular circumstance.
"But we are committed to consulting on flexible working. That's why we are looking for suggestions from the chairman of the government's working Task Force."
Mr Cheese also took aim at the government's "mixed messaging" on whether those who have been working from home should return to the workplace.
Peddling the work-from-home advice poses a sharp disparity as things continue slowly creep back to normal - as visitors to London's royal parks return to pre-pandemic levels.
Regent's Park now sees the same number of visitors as it did before the pandemic, while Hyde Park welcomes around 80 per cent.
But central London only has around 30 per cent of the usual number of workers travelling into offices.
The Sun understands the work from home order will be lifted after July 19.
But ministers won't direct workers back to their desk, and will instead leave it between bosses and their employees to discuss whether to do some working from home or not.
However, yesterday Nicola Sturgeon told Scotland that work from home orders would continue there until later in the year.
She said working back in office would be gradually phased back in, with workers not ordered back to their desks.
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Mr Cheese promised the government is dedicated to a "default" right to flexible working, as pledged in the Conservative manifesto.
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However, he shifted the responsibility of change onto employers rather than rules implemented by the government.
The taskforce is set to report to ministers in the coming weeks.