The British Red Cross is to run a trial of a four-day working week with 200 of its staff.
The charity said a mix of frontline and supporting teams would be involved in the trial, which will start on 1 July and continue for at least six months.
The trial, which involves 5 per cent of the BRC’s about 4,000-strong workforce, was organised after feedback from teams that took part in an “extensive” consultation with the charity’s staff association and diversity networks, the charity said.
Laura Roxburgh, senior director of people at the British Red Cross, said: “Our staff work incredibly hard to support those in crisis across the UK and around the world.
“Their work-life balance is important to us and we are always looking for new ways we can offer greater flexibility and be more productive.
“As part of this some teams across the British Red Cross are taking part in a pilot to trial a four-day working week.
“We are in the early stages of this and look forward to learning from the pilot.”
Graham Kent, director of technology at the British Red Cross, said on LinkedIn he saw the trial as an extension of the flexible working routine.
“I believe that in aggregate, we will achieve the same level of output and continuity as with a five-day week,” he said.
“It’s about providing people [with] the flexibility to have a life, blending their work into their life, rather than the other way around.
“We’ll be measuring the success of this in terms of staff engagement, wellbeing (and yes, continuity of output).
“I believe passionately that the first two measurements lead to the natural success of the third.”