Why we’re introducing a 9-day fortnight

Grace French
Written by Grace French

The 9-day fortnight: A new way of working, to benefit colleagues and clients

It’s not exactly breaking news that in the last two years, the world of work has changed beyond recognition. With curveball after curveball thrown our way, organisations and colleagues have had to navigate an ever-evolving landscape whilst keeping all plates spinning and bearing the emotional brunt of changing guidance.

But – always keen to find a silver lining – the pandemic has proven that we can work more flexibly and still achieve amazing outcomes.

When Henry Ford introduced the Monday to Friday, 40-hour week in the 1920s, it quickly became the norm. Pre-pandemic, it felt near impossible to challenge this engrained way of working, despite it being 100 years old. But when you examine the countless seismic shifts we’ve seen in society over the last century, further fuelled by the pandemic, it suddenly feels archaic to revert to how things were without interrogating how we can evolve.

At Stand, we have always believed that we work to live, not live to work, and that balance and a positive culture enables us to deliver our best work. While we’ve had a successful couple of years, the monotony of working from home in lockdown has been draining. We’re firm believers in seeing our colleagues as people, not just employees, and we’ve spent time understanding what helps them to feel fulfilled at work and beyond.

No alt text provided for this image

So, rather than going back, we’re evolving.

Introducing…the 9-day fortnight.

Every two weeks, everyone at Stand will have a day off to spend how they wish. Whether that’s doing something creative, exploring somewhere new, having a duvet day, or finally dealing with that pile of laundry – whatever will help them to free up headspace, rest and reflect.

Our salaries stay at 100% and our hours are reduced to 90%. By giving our team additional time away from their desks, we believe we’ll unlock newfound energy and focus, ensuring that we can continue to do our best strategic and creative work for our clients.

Before we introduced the 9-day fortnight, 100% of colleagues were proud to work at Stand. Never complacent, we want to build on this foundation of trust and pride. We’re incredibly excited about this move and believe it will make us an even stronger, more effective organisation.

Watch this space for updates on how our team is making the most of our 9-day fortnight!

If you’re feeling the strain and looking for a better work-life balance, we’re currently recruiting at all levels – we’d love to hear from you.

Get in touch: recruitment@standagency.com

Why every organisation should be thinking about the circular economy  

Imagine a world where every product is repaired, recycled or refurbished at the end...

More information

Food4Climate Pavilion appoints communications consultancy Stand ahead of COP28 

Marking its second year at the global climate summit, Food4Climate partners with Stand  Stand...

More information

Trans women being banned from female hospital wards is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to equitable healthcare

In October, during the Conservative Party Conference, Rishi Sunak made an announcement that could...

More information

This Financial Inclusion Week, look to the audiences you aren’t reaching 

This week marks the ninth Financial Inclusion Week, hosted by the Center for Financial...

More information

Yes, LinkedIn is your ultimate digital hub for connecting with investors

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, securing the right investors is crucial for the...

More information

The future of work – what does it look like? 

As a workplace culture fanatic, it doesn’t take much to convince me to engage...

More information

Stand creates new Advisory Board

The move marks a step change and targeted growth for the consultancy  Communications consultancy...

More information

Taking A Stand with Tom Kay, Founder of Finisterre.

Each month we’re sitting down with the trailblazers who are making a difference at...

More information

Sick days on the rise – cause for concern, or proving the need for change?

New research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and Simplyhealth has...

More information

Revving Up for a Sustainable Future: Why We Must Challenge Rishi Sunak’s Backtrack on Net Zero

As Climate Week in New York concludes, we find ourselves at a critical juncture...

More information

Apple’s Sustainability Video: A Storytelling Triumph with Gaps in Green Commitment

Apple’s latest sustainability video, featuring CEO Tim Cook and actress Octavia Spencer, has sparked...

More information

Taking A Stand with Nazim Valimahomed, Founder and Chief Product and Design Officer at Kroo.

Each month we’re sitting down with the trailblazers who are making a difference at...

More information

Celebrating success: Stand celebrates double victory, winning two PR awards

We’re delighted to share that our PR efforts secured us not one but two...

More information

We can’t afford to ignore migraine in the workplace

Do you work with someone who experiences migraine? Chances are, you do – you...

More information

Taking A Stand with James Rutter, Chief Creative Officer at COOK.

Each month we’re sitting down with the trailblazers who are making a difference at...

More information

The future of payment – the revolution of mobility technology

Phasing out petrol and diesel cars and introducing EVs is a great option in...

More information

Claire Brady on Net Zero Hero Podcast

Some people think that ‘circularity’ simply means recycling, but it is so much more...

More information

Earth Day

Earth Day provides an opportunity to take stock of our progress towards addressing the...

More information

When it comes to making sustainability claims, getting it wrong can cost organisations the earth

According to Robin Hicks, “2022 was the year that policymakers started to take greenwashing...

More information

Less is more: How low alcohol brands are targeting their Gen Z consumers

Dry January may be over, but giving up alcohol definitely hasn’t gone out of...

More information

Beyond B Corp: Breaking up with Barclays 

Last year we became a certified B Corp, and to do so we had...

More information

Three takeaways from the IPCC’s ‘final warning’ report 

This week has seen the release of the latest IPCC report assessing the climate...

More information

Why we’ve introduced a 4.5 day working week

As the rulebook of the working week gets rewritten, at Stand we continue to...

More information

Stand shifts as we move into our second decade

I founded Stand with one simple (but typically ambitious) belief: that good comms can...

More information

So… has the pandemic set us back or propelled us forward?

Last week, just days after the restrictions in England were lifted, we hosted our...

More information

Wellbeing is not a one-size-fits-all approach

It’s safe to say that being plunged into multiple lockdowns across the past 18...

More information

Covid-19 has given us a harsh lesson in education inequality

Although ‘Freedom Day’ is here, Covid’s effects will, as we hear all too often,...

More information

The pandemic of inequalities

Last week, the Health Foundation’s Unequal pandemic, fairer recovery report made headlines, revealing that...

More information

Has the pandemic set us back 50 years, or will it propel us forward?

At its onset, Covid-19 was described as the great leveller. But the pandemic has...

More information