A Hull recruitment firm which is currently trialling a four-day working week is on course for a record-breaking month.
GB Recruitment, based at Hull’s C4DI building, previously announced it was to test the four-day model throughout January.
Staff at the business are offered an extra day’s leave to allow them to spend more time with family and friends.
Since GB Recruitment launched its trial, productivity at the business has increased by more than 50 per cent.
The business has now said it plans to continue with its four-day week approach.
Antonio Tombanane, managing director at GB Recruitment, said: “We are amazed by the results the experiment has delivered so far.
“The plan is to continue to monitor the impact, but we are more committed than ever to make this work.”
Inspired by the results of Microsoft’s Work-Life Choice Challenge in Japan, GB Recruitment introduced the four-day week as of January 6.
The extra day’s leave is rostered between a Monday, Thursday and Friday in order to allow the firm to deliver the same level of customer service.
GB Recruitment said it hoped introducing a four-day working week would also have a positive impact on staff health and wellbeing.
Glen Halliwell, associate director at GB Recruitment, said: “I couldn’t be prouder of what my team has managed to achieve during this trial.
“Being in a position where we have managed to take on an extra recruiter this month has been the real icing on the cake.”
If the trial is successful, GB Recruitment previously said it would roll-out the four-day week permanently, as it looks to offer “100 per cent pay, 80 per cent hours, and 100 per cent productivity.”
GB Recruitment said it hoped the four-day week would be more than just a way of increasing productivity.
Benefits differ based on the individual; however it could be something as simple as allowing a parent to do the school run once a week.
GB Recruitment, which has been running three years, has seen revenue soar by 40 per cent, and works with customers including Capita, NFU Mutual and De Beers.
Four-day weeks are the latest addition to the Hull firm’s staff engagement policy.
GB Recruitment also offers staff flexible working hours, quarterly lunch clubs, your birthday off and ‘Beer Fridays'. GB Recruitment was also the firm behind the successful Tech Expo Humber event.
Held at Hull’s Bonus Arena last month, the event attracted over 2,000 people over a two-day period.
