Althams Travel to switch to four day week to improve work-life balance

In order to create a better work-life balance, Althams Travel is to move staff to a four-day working week while retaining their existing salaries.

The travel agency, which has 200 staff and operates 31 branches, will be moving from April 1.

The pledge was made by the managing director to improve the work-life balance for the company's workforce.

The reduction of the working week from five to four days was supported by staff.

New contracts were drawn up with the aim of rolling out new working arrangements in April 2020 but were put on hold because of the Covid epidemic.

With the company in a strong position and ready to put its forward thinking pledge into practice, McAllister is confident that now is the right time to make the change.

She thinks it will help the company.

Many times throughout my career I have seen good, ambitious work colleagues leave their jobs or stand down their full time roles to bring up their families as they found it impossible to juggle full-time work and raise a family.

She said that back then you had to be full time, five days a week, to be a manager.

She said the reduced working week would allow staff to spend more time with their families and friends, as well as allow them to maximize their income by taking on a second job or pursuing a hobby.

She said that by reducing work to a four-day week, many different avenues will be open for mothers and fathers to pursue their working ambitions and also play a role in the upbringing of their families.

You only have one life and I think work plays a huge part in that life, but my ethos is that you don't live to work, you work to live a better life.

I am happy to be able to do this at Althams and I am confident that it is the right move.

Reducing working days will create a happier and more motivated workforce, and maintain productivity levels.

It sounds too good to be true, but I promise we will see the rewards. Our staff will enjoy their work and give more in the time they are here. They used to count down the hours until their day off.

We asked them if they could give me five days of productivity in four days. They promised that they could.

She said that having staff work four days would open up more vacancies and help in terms of local unemployment.

She said that the company has an out-of-hours booking team which is open until 9pm on Sundays so clients can always get in touch.

The agency chain is adjusting its opening hours. Shops will open at 9.30am instead of 9am and close at 5pm, which will enhance our vision of being the family friendly and best travel agent to work for.