The first phase of the trial is now coming to an end.

All of our KPIs for the first six weeks have been collated. Gathered under normal working hours, these will provide a benchmark to measure and compare productivity levels. Employees have completed all of their weekly questionnaires which sought to look at activity, sleep and happiness levels inside and outside of the working hours. 

The next phase of the trial will see us moving to working compressed hours. In this instance we have set the aim for employees to be working 80% of a usual working week. 

As mentioned in previous updates, considerable effort and planning has gone into ensuring that we have given the trial the greatest chance of success while ensuring the business runs as normal.

By doing so we have actually increased the time of which the showroom is open and the same with the phones which will be manned without compromising on the business hours, sales and customer support. 

This has mainly been achieved through staggering start and finish times while ensuring each department remains manned at the necessary times and that there is sufficient contact time for those who work together. 

During the second half of the trial we will continue to measure the same metrics as before. This will result in giving us the ability to compare KPIs/productivity levels during both phases of the trial.

In addition, the University of Essex will be able to ascertain from their independent and anonymous surveys and interviews whether the compressed working hours had an effect on the staff’s well-being and health. At the end of the trial the University of Essex will provide their full report, based upon their results and findings, on how the trial affected staff well-being. 

Both of these results will be critical in analysing how the business was affected by the trial and whether this is something which can work for the company going forward. At the very least, it should highlight some areas the company can be improved upon in order to help our staff have a healthy and happy time in their work and personal lives.

Phase two will start on the 13th May and will conclude on the 21st June.  The brief period in between the two phases will give the University of Essex time to conduct interviews with staff, managers and directors in order to assess their feelings and hopes for the trial. 

We are all hoping that our thorough approach will produce the most accurate results on whether compressed working hours affects the mental and physical well-being of the staff while allowing the company to operate effectively and efficiently. There is an even greater hope it provides positive results, and this is something which the company rolls out going forward.

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