UK fintech puts staff on shorter week in health move

British banking startup Atom on Tuesday said it was allowing all staff to reduce their working week while remaining on the same pay to boost mental and physical wellbeing.

Since the start of November when the change was introduced, a majority of the fintech's 430 staff have taken up the offer to work 34 hours over four days, Atom said in a statement.

This compares with 37 hours over a traditional UK five-day working week.

The app-based lender said it was the largest company in Britain to offer all staff a reduced working week with no loss of pay.

"Atom's move to a four-day working week is to support improved employee mental and physical wellbeing together with improved business productivity," the statement said.

The bank added that it was still offering customers services seven days a week.

Atom chief executive Mark Mullen noted that since the coronavirus pandemic erupted worldwide in March last year, it had become evident that "many jobs can be done as efficiently and productively from peoples' own homes as from the office.

"But why stop there? More can be done—more needs to change," he added.