Asda trial four-day working week and reports positive feedback

Supermarket giant Asda has been trialling a four-day working week and says feedback from staff has been ‘very positive’.

The retailer has revealed it has been conducting the temporary experiment at 20 stores across the country since September last year, with the trial due to conclude at the end of this month.

Asda says it is still ‘evaluating’ the results as the trial is drawing to a close but that the feedback from its staff has been ‘very positive’.

According to the Telegraph, the experiment also included shorter shifts and flexible working hours.

The move comes after billionaire owners, the Issa brothers, are attempting to improve working conditions following significant walkouts from senior staff members in some stores, it has been reported.

The retailer has launched the initiative to pursue a ‘case for change’ among its store managers.

A spokesperson for Asda told the Telegraph: “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.”

The grocery giant has become the latest business in the country to steer away from the norm and test out a four-day working week.

A campaign was launched in 2022 challenging the current model and calling for a reduced amount of days for workers, which saw a number of companies adopt the concept.