"I struggle to get everything done in the hours of a 5-day week"
Name: Tim Davey
Role: Founding director, InfraView
The UK has just kicked off the world's biggest ever 4-day-week trial. Will the model catch on in the UK IT channel?
I think it could but not in the short term - it will be interesting to see how these trials go. I think there's lots of flexibility afforded in the channel already and the majority of people have been well used to working remotely from home for many years. I'd hope in most permanent mid- to senior-level roles people have flexibility and are more outcome based already rather than being managed by clock watchers. The issue will be regarding project deadlines and for contractors who get paid by the day. However, if managed properly it might work.
Based on the conversations you're having with your vendor and partner clients, how many are seriously looking into a 4-day week, and how do the hiring bosses you talk to generally feel about it?
None of our clients have mentioned 4-day working weeks. All conversations are around hybrid and flexible working - getting in the office to collaborate... but only with a purpose - meeting, team building, new hires, etc not just to be a bum on seat. Of course most people on the tech side of the channel, whether that be presales solutions architecture, professional services consultants / engineers or project / programme managers, have been well used to working from home and remotely from way before Covid forced the rest of the world to. Now though companies are pushing hybrid working also for most other staff including now managed services teams who historically used to be office based - this has been the key change we have seen.
The 4-day week trial moots a ‘100:80:100 model' - 100% of pay for 80% of the time, but maintaining 100% productivity. Are those figures really achievable, or just wishful thinking?
I'm not sure it's achievable. It depends on the role and I don't believe a one-size-fits-all approach works. The channel is driven by project demand, therefore individuals and teams work to get the project/pipeline delivered. All we do is work with IT solution providers and it's about delivering projects within budget and on time. Most people are already well utilised so trying to get more capacity out of people in services is probably a little unrealistic.
What are your personal views on the 4-day week model?
I struggle to get everything done in the hours of a 5-day week so there's no way a 4-day week works for me personally. Certain things take time, whether that be sales of project delivery. Take your average sales or technical person if they work 20 per cent longer they will do 20 per cent more. Yes they can increase their productivity in those hours but whether they are exceptionally productive in those hours or not they will do 20 per cent more GP if they work 20 per cent longer. Again it's down to the individual. If you're hitting your delivery metrics you don't need micromanaging and I think this is what it's all about, train people well enough so they have the autonomy to choose their own outcomes and manage accordingly.
See next page to hear where Charlotte Hallam stands on the four-day week...
