A Scottish Government pilot of a four-day working week across two public sector organisations has reported higher productivity, improved wellbeing and strong staff support. However, ministers have confirmed the initiative will not be extended across the wider public sector “at this time”.

The year-long trial involved Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) and South of Scotland Enterprise (SoSE), where employees moved to a 32-hour week with no loss of pay or benefits. Staff worked staggered hours to ensure services continued throughout the week.

The evaluation, carried out by research organisation the Autonomy Institute, found the pilot to be “hugely popular among staff” and associated with notable improvements in mental health, motivation, and work-life balance.

At AiB, staff reported an 18.4% improvement in mental health and an equivalent reduction in fatigue and burnout. Levels of satisfaction with personal time also rose by 46.8%.

At SoSE, the proportion of employees describing themselves as “very satisfied” with their work-life balance increased from 4% before the pilot to 84% nine months in. In addition, 83% of staff reported reduced stress, while 98% said morale and motivation had improved.

Sick days taken for psychological reasons fell by 25.7% during the pilot. Staff with caring responsibilities were among the most enthusiastic, with some describing the new arrangement as “life-changing”.

Both organisations have chosen to continue with the four-day week beyond the official research period, extending the trial by six months at SoSE and two months at AiB.

Will Stronge, chief executive of the Autonomy Institute, said: “The results of the Scottish government pilot have been overwhelmingly positive, demonstrating that both the workers and employers involved are thriving.

“Until now, much of the research into four-day working weeks has been focused on the private sector. However, these groundbreaking results show that the public sector can reap similar benefits, including improved productivity, employee well-being, and work-life balance.

“As the introduction of AI accelerates across industries, it’s crucial that workers in both the public and private sectors experience the benefits of these advancements and one of the easiest ways of achieving this is by shortening the working week.”

Despite the positive findings, Finance Minister Ivan McKee said there would be no wider rollout at present.

“While the Scottish Government and its agencies will not be moving to a 32-hour week at this time, the pilot has identified several examples of more efficient and innovative working practices which will be made available to the wider public sector to help drive reform,” he said.

“I am grateful to staff members at South of Scotland Enterprise and Accountant in Bankruptcy who have shown the benefits of skill-sharing and closer working through the pilot and accompanying evaluation.

Recommended reading

• Kate Forbes Drives New Scots Gov Vision For Green Finance
• Deputy First Minister Delves into Techscaler Two Years On
• Scot Gov: Supporting Women-led Businesses an “Economic Imperative”

“The Scottish Government continues to support flexible working arrangements that enhance wellbeing and operational efficiency, including the recent move to a 35-hour working week framework.”

The findings add to a growing body of evidence around the four-day working week. In July, South Cambridgeshire District Council became the first local authority in the UK to permanently adopt the pattern, following its own pilot.

An independent report by the universities of Salford, Bradford and Cambridge found that 21 of the council’s 24 services had improved or remained stable since the trial began in 2023. The council also reported a 120% increase in job applications and ongoing yearly savings of £399,263 due to reduced reliance on agency staff.