The Scottish Government’s much-watched four-day working week pilot has delivered exactly what many hoped. Happier workers, better mental health, and steady productivity. Yet, despite the evidence, ministers say they’re not making the shift permanent.
The trial, overseen by the Autonomy Institute, tested a 32-hour week with no pay cut at two public bodies. South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) and the Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB).
The numbers speak for themselves. At SOSE, staff satisfaction with work-life balance soared by 80%, stress levels fell by 83%, and 98% reported higher motivation and morale. Sick days linked to psychological health dropped by around 25%. At AiB, mental health improved by 18%, with nearly half of staff saying they finally had enough time for life outside of work.
Crucially, productivity didn’t dip. SOSE kept up client response times, and AiB maintained its core services. The message is clear: cutting hours didn’t cut performance.
And yet, here’s the twist. Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee announced there will be no move to a permanent four-day week in the public sector. Instead, the government plans to adopt only “best practices” like smarter collaboration and efficiency while keeping the traditional five-day schedule.
For staff who called the pilot “life-changing,” especially carers and parents, that decision feels like a missed opportunity. The Autonomy Institute stressed that the shorter week forced teams to rethink how they worked together, proving the model’s viability even in government’s rigid systems.
Globally, trials in the UK private sector, Iceland, and New Zealand have already shown that fewer hours don’t mean less work. Scotland’s experiment added fresh proof from the public sector. But rather than lead the way, ministers chose to play it safe.
The hesitation isn’t hard to read. Extending the policy to hospitals, schools, or frontline services would be politically and financially tricky. But shelving the idea after such strong results risks sending a different message: that governments are more comfortable talking about efficiency than embracing change.
The four-day week clearly boosted wellbeing without harming productivity. The evidence is there. The question is whether leaders have the courage to act on it.
