TIM HOLT

Would you like an extra day off at weekends? Wouldn't it be good to have more time to spend with the family or just relax? Or what about an additional two days off at the weekend? Instead of trying to cram all that DIY into two days, you'd have four in which to do all of your jobs properly.

To put the icing on the cake, how about only working four days instead of the normal five? You'd work for four days and be off for four days: what could be better?

Wait a minute, what about UK industry - surely that would fall apart because it would become uncompetitive? Surely our European partners and competitors from further afield would walk all over us if we only worked four days and then had four days off?

Well, not necessarily. In the four days you are off, someone else does your job. It would be, in effect, a job share. So the company always has someone working in its offices. No more would companies have to pay rent and rates for seven days a week but only get five days of productivity.

In your four-day week, you could work the equivalent of a normal five-day week - that is, 37.5 hours - just by working a slightly longer day. In your four days off, your counterpart would work the same hours. If your whole family worked this system - that is, including schools - then you'd all be on the same four-four cycle.

Just think of the advantages: increased output for companies; more leisure time for you; increased business for retail outlets and leisure companies; more time to unwind after the working "week"; less traffic during rush hour (schools would be on the four-four system, which would cut class sizes in half. Some industries would be similarly affected, so reducing traffic). And let's not forget there would be more employment opportunities.

There must be downsides. Surely there would be far higher costs for businesses? Yes, but this will be offset by higher productivity, not only because the factory/office is working every day, but also because the workforce is more relaxed. This would reduce the burden on the health service.

The handover to your other cycle opposite number would be easy, thanks to modern software systems and inexpensive voice recording systems.

OK, but do we have plenty of qualified workers to double-up like this? With any proposed major change in work practices, there is always a need to plan well in advance. If planned correctly, then resources can be put in place to resolve this issue.

If everyone were to operate on this principle, it would increase the frequency and variety of people participating in different leisure activities, raise retail spend, increase companies' utilisation of premises and equipment and increase the UK's production.

  • Do you like the sound of Tim's idea, or would it just not work?

Visit forum.theherald.co.uk or e-mail features@theherald.co.uk (with the subject line Think Tank). We'll bring you the best responses later in the week and a new idea next Monday.