Smiley Monroe moves to four-day week working pattern

Lisburn, Northern Ireland – Conveyor belt and rubber parts manufacturer, Smiley Monroe is moving to a four-day week working patten across its production facilities.

The scheme was successfully trialled within one production department in Lisburn has now been rolled out "company-wide", said Smiley Monroe 8 June.

The reduced hours will not impact employees’ salaries, according to the manufacturer.

“Moving to a four-day working week is something we have aspired to for a long time” said Jayne Peters, director of people and culture.

The company, she went on to say, aims to improve employee satisfaction and wellness, while putting necessary efficiencies in place to avoid any impact on output or customers.

“We know that our employees will reap the rewards of an enhanced work-life balance and more time to spend with their families,” she added.

The decision to move to the new working pattern followed a 2022 UK trial of 70 companies, which saw 86% of participants continuing with the policy once the pilot ended.

Positive results included “happier, more productive employees, reduced stress and illness and savings on childcare and transport as well as a reduction in carbon footprint.”

According to Smiley Monroe, some of the company’s customers have been adopting the new way of working since the trial.

Smiley Monroe has three global production centres in Northern Ireland, the US and India.

The company statement did not clarify if the rollout of the plan applies to all global locations or is limited to Lisburn.

As “one of the earliest Northern Ireland manufacturers to adopt the shorter working week”, Smiley Monroe said it would continue to invest in the well-being and development of its team.

“I am confident this will... positively impact our business, our people and our communities,” said CEO Chris Monroe.

The Lisburn company has set itself a target of £100 million (€117 million) sales by the end of 2027, marking a 300% growth over a five-year period.

“Our vision is to be the number one partner across our material processing and recycling world,” said Chris Monroe.

“For us, this does not just mean sales growth - it means being the best employer in our industry,” he added.