Care provider introduces four-day week to boost productivity

A care provider is introducing a four-day working week as a sign it is “listening to our workforce” following feedback from a poll of its employees.

Community Integrated Care has decided to overhaul its working practices by introducing a four-day working week for more than 300 of its staff, with office and support workers eligible at first while bosses explore how it can roll out the scheme for frontline staff.

Employees will be able to condense their normal working hours into four days, rather than five. They will have either the Monday or Friday as a non-working day, in response to national research demonstrating a strong desire from employees to maintain a more flexible form of working after the government’s work from home coronavirus mandate ended.

‘Our colleagues have shown us how well they have adapted’

Feedback from colleagues in a series of surveys revealed 82 per cent of employees felt positive about the move towards a four-day working week and 81 per cent expressed a desire to reduce the numbers of days they must go to the office.

A poll also revealed that ‘half of employees would quit without flexible working post-pandemic’ (EY, Work Reimagined Employee Survey, 2021).

The new approach is part of the organisation’s aim to create a more attractive offering for any new recruits while giving greater support to its frontline workforce which operates over a 24-hour period.

Employees have the choice to work in the office, virtually from home or a mixture of the two with staff only needing to attend their offices for meetings or training that need to be held in person.

Teresa Exelby, chief people officer at Community Integrated Care said: “Our colleagues have shown us how well they have adapted to a remote and hybrid working approach over the past 18 months, so we’re thrilled that we’re able to build on these successes as we navigate our way through the post-pandemic workplace.

“Listening to our workforce is hugely important to us and it’s clear that employee expectation for a flexible approach has altered dramatically in recent months. This move has been built with our colleagues' voices at the heart of it, giving them the freedom to choose and build their own ways of working."

'Boost wellbeing and productivity’

The care provider delivers support to more than 3,500 people with a diverse range of care needs, including learning disabilities, mental health concerns, age-related needs and dementia. It employs over 6,000 people throughout England and Scotland.

Introducing flexible working is just one of a number of people-first initiatives that Community Integrated Care has introduced to improve the working lives of its employees. Earlier this year it created new diversity, inclusion and wellbeing strategies. “Our hope is that by ensuring that our colleagues can achieve a positive and healthy work-life balance, this will in turn boost the wellbeing and productivity of our workforce", Teresa Exelby added.

“Ultimately, our main goal is that this all leads to us being delivering the best lives possible for the people we support.”