Huge supermarket chain trials four-day working week to thousands of staff – as turnover decreases
ONE of the UK’s biggest supermarket chains is trialling a four-day working week for thousands of staff, as turnover rises.
Asda has launched the initiative among its store managers as it pursues a “case for change” after turnover of all staff fell by 6 per cent, although among management turnover jumped by 13.9 per cent.
The “leadership structure trial” was revealed in a presentation among store managers late last year and is due to end later this month.
Also included in the trial are more flexible working arrangements, such as working shorter shifts.
Asda has also taken a hit in its market share, dropping from 14.2 per cent to 13.6 per cent in the past 12 months, lagging behind rivals Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
An Asda spokesman said: “Since September 2023, we have been trialling a variety of flexible working patterns for managers in 20 stores, including a four-day working week for the same pay and benefits.
“There has been no reduction in the number of hours that hourly-paid colleagues are contracted to work as a result of this trial.
“While we are still evaluating the results, the feedback from participating colleagues has been very positive.
“Asda has also invested a total of £325m in increasing pay for both store-based and logistics colleagues since 2022.
“For the record, Asda saw a 6 per cent reduction in colleague turnover between 2022 and 2023.”
The move comes after Sainsbury’s shook up its working practices last year and introduced flexible working, including a four-day working week.
The supermarket giant said it has been looking at ways to make its work schedules more flexible and better for employees.
It said that while it not trialling a formal four-day week, some staff may end up working a shorter week as a result.
The world’s biggest trial of a four-day working week was hailed a “major breakthrough” last year.
The trial saw 61 companies across a variety of sectors in the UK commit to reducing their working hours for all staff by 20 per cent, for six months from June 2022.
The results revealed a significant drop in the rates of stress and illness among the approximately 2,900 staff trying a shorter working week.