Skip to main content

The BSI’s four-day week pilot: Frequently asked questions

What is a four-day work week? 

A four-day work week sees employees compressing their working hours and working four days instead of the traditional five days, without any reduction in pay or service productivity.  

In the case of the BSI, staff who opt to participate in the trial will work 32 hours across four days, instead of 35 hours across five. All departments will see cover in place from Monday to Friday, ensuring that there is no change in service.  

Why is the BSI piloting a four-day work week? 

The decision to participate in the pilot was driven by a commitment to improving work-life balance for employees, enhance productivity, and improve talent attraction and retention.  

The proposal to participate in the pilot was approved by the BSI Board of Trustees in July 2024, following the results of a staff survey and background scoping work carried out by the BSI Senior Management Team.  

Is this a permanent change or a trial period? 

From 4 November, the BSI will participate in a pilot, supported by the 4-Day Week Campaign. The pilot is scheduled to last for six months, but we will continually assess quality of service throughout. Any decisions to continue with this working model will depend on the outcome of the pilot and the impact of the four-day week on productivity, employee satisfaction, and business performance. 

How will this affect BSI Congress and other events? 

It won’t. We have no plans to change the structure or timing of BSI Congress or any other BSI events. BSI Congress will continue to run for four days as usual across Monday to Thursday. We are committed to maintaining the same provision of service across all our departments, and our events are a major part of the work we do.  

How will the BSI ensure productivity with fewer working days? 

With the support of the team at the 4-Day Week Campaign, we are exploring ways to improve workflow efficiencies, streamline our functions and eliminate unnecessary meetings. Throughout the pilot, we will continually measure and assess productivity and provisions to intervene if these are negatively impacted.  We will also survey those members who we work particularly closely with, such as our committee members, to ensure we are still providing the same high quality of engagement and communications.  

How will the success of the pilot be assessed?  

By participating in the 4-Day Week Campaign pilot, the BSI will benefit from independent evaluation of several key metrics, including productivity, staff satisfaction and staff wellbeing. As mentioned above, we will also gain feedback from members who we work closely with, and their views will also be fed into the overall evaluation of the pilot. These findings will be shared with the BSI Board of Trustees who will then decide on next steps.  

What happens if the four-day work week doesn't work? 

While other companies in our sector have had proven success with the four-day week, if the pilot does not yield the expected results, the BSI Board of Trustees will review this approach, and may choose to make adjustments or revert to our previous working model. 

Who should I contact if I have any questions about the four-day work week pilot? 

Please email membership@immunology.org if you have any questions on this pilot.