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UKFast reduces staff hours to boost energy levels

Colleagues UKFast have received a reduction in the number of hours they are contracted to work, after a pilot scheme proved that reducing hours improves energy levels and the quality of service to customers.

The company cut working hours from 40 hours a week to 37.5 without reducing pay, effectively giving every employee an extra 3.5 weeks holiday. The move is part of the firm's ongoing mission to become the best workplace in the UK, after it was named the top tech workplace by the Great Place to Work Institute. The Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For ranks UKFast as the top employer in Manchester.

Customer satisfaction spiked during the period, with the firm registering a record in-month score of 86 during October, measured by the customer satisfaction metric Net Promoter Score (NPS), compared with 80 during the same period last year.

Lawrence Jones (pictured sharing family time with his wife Gail Jones), UKFast Co-Founder said, "reducing the working day is something I have wanted to do for years; it's a scary thought when you are small and that fear grows in direct proportion as you get bigger.

"We simply did the maths and realised we'd need around 30 extra people to ensure we continue to deliver the same exemplary service. It's a fair and sensible way to distribute the company's profits to ensure that teammates as well as shareholders benefit from UKFast's success. 

"We have already invested in the most amazing office environment and we are seeing the benefits of this, it's important we back this up with the best working practices too. Reducing the working day is a positive thing for everyone.  

"I'm completely convinced that removing that half hour strengthens the team by giving them more quality time and rest. Productivity rose immediately on putting the measures into place. If this continues to work, which I fully expect it to, then there's no reason we won't cut hours further in the future."

Gail Jones, Co-founder and newly appointed Managing Director added, "the biggest concern putting something like this in place is to ensure we continue to deliver excellence to our clients. So to see our NPS score increase whilst also seeing improvements in the speed of response to support queries from customers only fills us with confidence that we are doing the right thing."  

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