Four day working week introduced at fast-growing Edison Group

A fast-growing construction property and investment business has become a convert to the principle of the four-day working week for all employees.

Edison Group, which has headquarters in Irvine, is to introduce the regime over the coming months, guaranteeing all sixty employees three days off each week - either Friday, Saturday and Sunday, or Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

At the same time, it is maintaining existing salary levels.

Subsidiary firm GDC Design, a construction, project management, interior fit-out and property maintenance business based in Glasgow, which was acquired by Edison Group late last year, has already been successfully trialling the four day week approach.

Calum Melville, chief executive of Edison Group, said: "Our 22 colleagues at GDC recently completed a significant public sector project in west central Scotland on time, and on budget by hitting every milestone, working a four-day week.

“All stakeholders, including our clients, benefit from this approach. 

"The cost of living crisis is making things hard enough for most people already, so reducing the working week by a day results in a range of benefits, most importantly reduced stress, which in turn leads to improved mental health, a better work-life balance and enhanced quality of family life."

Melville added that from 1 April, all colleagues will also be provided with access to provate healthcare "as part of our aim to be an employer of choice".

“I’m not really conscious of being a pioneer of the four-day working week within the Scottish construction industry," said Melville. 

"We think it is right for us and we will always plough our own furrow. 

"Whether any of our competitors follow suit is entirely a matter for them.”

Edison Group recently opened its new offices in High Street, Irvine and has been highly active in growing and acquiring complementary businesses in the construction and property sector.

“We remain firmly in the market to acquire businesses that are complementary to our group activities and are projecting sales of £20 million on a rolling 12-month basis by the end of 2023, driven both by further, already-planned strategic acquisitions and organic growth," Melville said.

“We are investing substantial sums to build an infrastructure and platform to drive growth over the next few years with an expanded offering which includes construction, project management, architectural services, bespoke joinery, furniture manufacture, interior design, interior fit out, all trades, driveways, landscaping, property maintenance and refurbishment."