At digiLab we took the decision to provide our employees with a four day working week from day one. As a leader in the deep tech and machine learning community, it was the right thing to do for our growing business and our employees.
Our innovative approach is key to recruitment and staff retention, and gives our employees an excellent work-life balance. We have seen no negative effects to productivity, and the 4 day week supports our wellbeing culture. digiLab is very clear that Fridays are not for work, and our employees benefit from a 3 day weekend with 9 – 5 as our daily working hours - we don’t work longer days as some businesses do.
According to The Guardian 56 out of 61 organisations taking part in the world’s largest trial of a four-day week are continuing to use this working pattern, with 18 companies making it permanent. In survey results, 39% of staff said they were less stressed, 40% slept better and 54% found it easier to balance home and work. Sick days fell by about 60%.
The Guardian reports that the Four Day Week Campaign director, Joe Ryle, is calling the trial a “major breakthrough” and has presented the findings to MPs to encourage them to legislate for a 32 hour week across the UK.
Sarah Brooks, Commercial Lead at digiLab, says, “As a single working mum of teenagers, our four day working week means that I have time to catch up with life admin at home, as well as spending a day with my walking buddies for hikes on the moor. It makes a big difference to my family.”
digiLab is proud to be the first deep tech Four Day Week employer in the South West.
digiLab was founded to provide top-tier data science to the engineering industries. A spin-out from the University of Exeter, digiLab uses pioneering machine learning to transform the efficiency, resilience and environmental sustainability of its customers.