The British Internet Bank is moving to 4 days a week

Atom Bank claims to be “the largest in Britain to offer the four-day workweek”.

Britain’s Atom Bank announced online on Tuesday the launch of a four-day work week for all its employees without a wage cut, saying it wanted to increase employee welfare as much as its productivity.

The pandemic has prompted many companies to rethink their ways of working, between working remotely and reducing time around.

At the end of 2020, the New Zealand subsidiary of giant Unilever, for example, launched a trial for four days a week.

Atom Bank claims to be “the largest in Britain to offer the four-day workweek”.

Give employees time

The new work organization was launched on November 1 and approved by the majority of the 430 employees, who have seen their weekly working time reduced from 37.5 hours to 34 hours for the same total salary.

Covid-19 has “forever changed the way we live and work”, says Atom Bank, which says it wants to “rethink the nature of work to account for longer working life, the positive impact of technology and work flexibility”.

The bank says it will continue to operate seven days a week and adds that it has “seriously considered” the ramifications of the four days of the week, to ensure “there are no risks to customer service or operations” of the company.

Mark Mullen, the bank’s chief executive, said in the statement that changing work habits during the pandemic showed that “many jobs can be performed as efficiently and productively from home as they are from the office.”

“We believe it is time for the next evolution in the world of work” that will give employees time “to pursue their passions, spend time with their families, and build a healthier work-life balance.”