Flexibility and a great work-life balance are both more important than ever for British workers, as new research from leading jobs and careers site www.Reed.co.uk reveals over half of Brits (53 per cent) would prioritise a company with a great work-life balance over the location (44 per cent) and benefits (36 per cent) when deciding between offers.
Although salary remains the top factor (66 per cent), the appeal of a four-day working week seems to be gathering pace, as the research shows that almost one-fifth of Brits (19 per cent) looking to leave their job in 2023 say they’d consider staying in their current role if their employer offered them a four-day work week.
With the UK set to experience its first ‘unofficial trial’ of a four-day working week in May, as three out of five weeks are shorter due to a series of Bank Holidays, the month of May is a month for workers and employers alike to experience first-hand how a four-day work week could look for them, on a national scale.
The research also revealed that 34 per cent of people would be happy to take a pay cut to work a shorter week, and almost a third (28 per cent) said flexible or remote working options are the most important factors for them when deciding on their next career move.
The outcome of the research is clear: Although salary still remains important, British workers value their time and well-being, with flexibility and fitting work around family and home needs being the most common reasons why this is important.
“At Reed.co.uk, we’ve seen the number of job advertisements offering a four-day working week rise since the start of 2023,” says Simon Wingate, managing director at reed.co.uk. “However, we know that this is not something that will work for all roles or companies.
“Reed.co.uk wants to help people Love Mondays and find a job they’ll love, whether it be flexible working hours to fit around your lifestyle, finding your purpose and gaining skills to help you accelerate in your career, or spending your days together with colleagues who support you. With the research revealing flexible hours to be the top priority for job applicants, we’re glad to see that the job offerings on our site reflect this, which we hope will lead to more people finding jobs that they’ll love.”
