AI could result in a four-day working week becoming 'standard'

Councillors have been told staff surveys suggest employees are enjoying better mental health as a result of the four-day week trial

A four-day working week could become the norm thanks to artificial intelligence, an officer at a local authority trialling the concept said.

South Cambridgeshire District Council is testing the idea of the shorter working week, despite the government telling it to abandon the scheme.

Councillors and staff discussed the scheme at a committee meeting earlier.

Jeff Membery of the council said it could become "the standard way of working".

The trial at the Liberal Democrat-run authority has been running since January 2023.

The Employment and Staffing Committee discussed plans to extend the trial beyond March 2024 and delay a consultation on continuing on a permanent basis. A report to the committee issued last week said a meaningful consultation could not be carried out without details of the financial consequences threatened by the government.

'Bid to remain competitive'

The meeting included a discussion on how the council could remain competitive in an ever-changing working environment.

Mr Membery, the council's head of transformation, HR and corporate services, told the committee the four-day week could become "the standard way of working as people take advantage of AI".

Anna Bradnam, vice-chair of the committee, said the council would have to find ways of staying competitive in terms of staff recruitment and retention if other organisations adopted the practice.

The meeting heard that staff welfare surveys suggested employees were enjoying better mental health thanks to the four-day working week.

The benefits for those with caring responsibilities were also highlighted as something appreciated by staff, the committee was told.

But the council's Conservative opposition has criticised the trial, saying it does not offer value for money for taxpayers.

"We are spending millions on salaries for days not worked," Conservative group leader Heather Williams previously told the BBC.

The next steps of the trial will be discussed at a cabinet meeting on 12 March.