Choose between the 100-80-100 model and compressed-hours patterns based on the work involved.
Human Resources & Personal Development
Piloting a Four-Day Week and Compressed Working Patterns
Guides HR and operations leaders through designing, running and evaluating a four-day week or compressed-hours pilot, from baseline metrics and coverage planning to the rollout decision.
🗓️Duration5 training days
📚Content4 modules · 8 sessions
🎓On completionAccredited attendance certificate
About the programme
Course Overview
Interest in a four-day week is easy to generate and hard to test properly: without a clear baseline, most pilots produce strong opinions but no evidence a leadership team can act on. This course gives HR and operations professionals a method for designing a compressed working pattern pilot that produces a genuine answer, whether the outcome is a full rollout, a partial one, or a considered return to five days. Teaching covers choosing between the 100-80-100 model and compressed-hours patterns such as 9/80 or four-by-ten, redesigning meetings and workflows so a shorter week does not simply compress five days of work into four, and building rota models that protect coverage in shift-based and customer-facing teams. Participants work with baseline data templates, trial agreement wording and evaluation frameworks throughout. Later sessions address working time and rest-break compliance, equality considerations for part-time staff, and analysing post-trial output, absence and turnover data. Participants leave able to run a pilot whose result the organisation can trust and act on.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Set baseline metrics and a comparison method before a compressed working pattern pilot begins.
Redesign meetings, workflows and role coverage so a shorter week does not hide unpaid extra work.
Build rota models that protect coverage and service levels for shift-based and customer-facing teams.
Draft trial agreements and check the pattern against working time and rest-break requirements.
Support managers and employees through the trial with clinics, feedback channels and clear norms.
Analyse post-trial data and recommend continuation, adjustment or reversal with clear evidence.
Who Should Attend
HR directors and heads of people considering a four-day week or compressed-hours trial.
Operations managers responsible for coverage in shift-based or customer-facing teams.
Reward and workforce planning specialists modelling the cost and feasibility of a pilot.
Line managers who will lead teams through a compressed working pattern trial.
Employee relations specialists managing consultation and policy changes for the trial.
Business leaders needing a rigorous evaluation before deciding on a permanent pattern change.
Course Modules
Select any module to see its sessions and points.
01Designing the Pilot
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Choosing a Working Pattern and Pilot Scope
- Compare the 100-80-100 four-day model against compressed-hours patterns such as 9/80 and four-by-ten.
- Choose pilot business units that represent different work types, from back office to shift-based teams.
- Decide pay parity and eligibility rules for the trial before communicating anything to employees.
- Agree the pilot's length and review points before the organisation commits to running it.
Session 2Setting Success Measures and Baseline Data
- Define baseline metrics for output, absenteeism, overtime and engagement before the trial starts.
- Choose a comparison approach, whether a control group, a before-and-after view or matched teams.
- Set qualitative measures such as wellbeing surveys and manager feedback alongside output data.
- Agree in advance the decision criteria that will determine rollout, extension or reversal.
02Redesigning Work for a Shorter Week
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Redesigning Roles, Meetings and Workflows
- Audit recurring meetings and low-value tasks to remove before compressing working hours.
- Redesign role coverage so customer response times and service levels are protected under the new pattern.
- Set clear norms for availability, handovers and out-of-office expectations across the shorter week.
- Identify roles or teams where compression is not feasible and plan a fair alternative for them.
Session 2Planning Coverage for Shift and Customer-Facing Teams
- Build rota models that maintain coverage across a compressed week for shift-based teams.
- Plan for peak periods, holiday cover and unplanned absence within the new working pattern.
- Agree overtime and time-off-in-lieu rules that stay consistent with working time regulations.
- Brief customer-facing teams on how to explain the new pattern to clients and the public.
03Managing the Trial and Legal Considerations
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Contracts, Policy and Compliance During the Trial
- Draft trial agreement letters covering pay, hours and a clear opt-out or reversal clause.
- Check the chosen pattern against working time regulations and statutory rest-break requirements.
- Update flexible working policies so they reflect the trial rather than contradicting it.
- Address equality considerations so part-time and job-share staff are not disadvantaged by the trial.
Session 2Supporting Managers and Employees Through the Change
- Brief line managers on managing output and results rather than hours physically worked.
- Run manager clinics that troubleshoot early coverage, workload or scheduling problems.
- Set up real-time feedback channels so employees can flag problems during the trial itself.
- Watch for workload creep where a five-day workload is compressed without any real redesign.
04Evaluating Results and Deciding on Rollout
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Analysing Pilot Data and Outcomes
- Compare post-trial output, quality and service metrics against the baseline set before the pilot.
- Analyse absenteeism, overtime cost and turnover data across the full trial period.
- Synthesise employee and manager feedback into one balanced evaluation report for decision-makers.
- Identify unintended consequences such as hidden overtime or workload quietly shifted elsewhere.
Session 2Deciding, Communicating and Scaling the Outcome
- Build a recommendation for continuation, extension, adjustment or reversal backed by the evidence.
- Communicate the decision and its reasoning clearly to every employee, regardless of the outcome.
- Plan a phased rollout with sector- or team-specific adjustments where the pilot has succeeded.
- Set an ongoing monitoring routine for the working pattern if it is adopted permanently.
What the participant receives
4 course modules
A structured syllabus
8 training sessions
across 5 days
32 detailed points
Applied, detailed content
Accredited attendance certificate
On completing the programme
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