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The 4 Day Week Campaign and the Autonomy Institute are partnering to launch a new four-day week Pilot Programme for local councils in 2025, building on the success of South Cambridgeshire District Council's trial and the government's new approach of giving councils more autonomy over workforce management.

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The pilot programme will kick off in March 2025 with trainings and workshops led by experts and consultants that have supported hundreds of companies in the public, private and third sector to successfully adopt a four-day working week, with no loss in pay. 

 

Councils can book a Free 15-minute Consultation to learn more or discuss participation.

 

Whether you’re at the beginning of your journey as a council and want to learn more about the benefits of moving to a shorter working week, or you’re preparing to launch a trial next year, the programme will support you with all of the information and resources you need.


Programme Outline

 

  • 20 March – Making the Business Case for a Four-Day Week -  Key Learnings from Previous Pilots (Led by the 4 Day Week Campaign & the Autonomy Institute)

  • 27 March – How to Prepare for Launching a Trial (with Cllr Bridget Smith, Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council and another senior member of the council)

  • 3 April – Getting HR Ready (with South Cambridgeshire District Council's HR Team)

  • 10 April – Communicating with the Public and the Media (Led by Joe Ryle, Director of the 4 Day Week Campaign & former Press Officer for the Labour Party)

  • 24 April - Workshop #1 - Mitigating Risks and Embracing Opportunities (Led by the 4 Day Week Campaign & the Autonomy Institute)

  • 15 May – Workshop #2 - Stress Testing Plans for Implementation (Led by the 4 Day Week Campaign & the Autonomy Institute)

 

Bespoke Support

 

Alongside the core programme, each council will have the opportunity to benefit from bespoke support tailored to their unique needs. This additional support will consist of individual consultations which can be used to provide guidance, resolve challenges, and facilitate networking opportunities with organisations that have successfully implemented a four-day week. 

 

The bespoke support will consist of the following:

  • Individual preparation consultations before the trial start (one to two sessions)

  • One check-in consultation and troubleshooting at the midpoint to the trial

  • One end-of-trial consultation

  • A dedicated point of contact, available on demand throughout the duration of the programme to answer questions and discuss any additional support needs

  • Continued communications support throughout the programme and trial


Evaluation Programme

 

Evaluating the impact of a four-day week trial is an integral part of ensuring the policy will be sustainable and successful in the long-term. The programme will support participating councils in establishing a robust evaluation framework. We encourage councils to partner up with relevant research consultants, for example their local university, to produce an external, unbiased evaluation of their trial. The pilot programme will provide insights into the evaluation process and support as needed. 


Cost of taking part and signing up


The cost of taking part is dependent on the level of support required. Councils can book a Free 15-minute Consultation to find out the full details and requirements for signing up and taking part. You can also email info [@] 4dayweek.co.uk to find out more.

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