Four-day working week plan slated as 'gimmick'

THE Scottish Government spent tens of thousands of pounds hiring an outside firm to run a four-day working week pilot in two quangos.

- By David Walker

Under Humza Yousaf, the SNP Executive bowed to pressure from the Scottish Greens to allow some civil servants to work just four days a week at fewer hours but the same pay.

It was rolled out at South of Scotland Enterprise and Accountancy in Bankruptcy and lasted until April this year.

The policy’s effectiveness is being assessed by the Autonomy Institute after government ministers ringfenced £180,000 for the work, despite the pressure on public finances.

There have been internal discussions within the government of bringing in four-day weeks across the public sector, but no final decision has been made yet.