Marketing business Awin has permanently moved to a flexible working week, following a successful 18-month global pilot.
The organisation, which employs more than 1,300 employees in 17 offices around the world, allowed staff to take one day off per week, to work either four full days, or three full and two half days. They continued to receive their full salary, while maintaining partner and client service level agreements.
Throughout the pilot, gross profit grew by 13% on average annually from 2019 to 2022, net promoter scores, which gauge customer loyalty, satisfaction and enthusiasm, improved by 20.7 points, and sick leave days decreased by 21%.
When evaluating whether to make the arrangement permanent, Awin polled employees, finding that 94% felt their work-life balance improved, more than 90% had time to do the things they did not before, and 92% were more productive at work, citing the model as the reason why their health and wellbeing improved.
In addition, 70% felt the quality of their work had improved and that they were less stressed at work, and 85% said that the model played a significant role in their decision to stay at Awin.
Adam Ross, chief executive officer of Awin, said: “What started initially as a six-month trial has proven to be one of the most transformative initiatives we’ve seen in the history of the business. Over the course of the last year and a half, we have not only seen a tremendous increase in employee wellness and wellbeing, but concurrently, our customer service and relations, as well as talent relations and retention, have also improved.
“Our team members are our most important asset, and by emphasising their wellbeing we have simultaneously improved the way we show up for customers across the board. The flexi-week has proven that employee wellness and customer satisfaction do not have to be mutually exclusive, and, in fact, are quite symbiotic.”