Firms in Norfolk have been experimenting with shorter working weeks and finding that it has helped improve productivity and staff retention.

There is currently a four day working week campaign supported by firms that believe shorter working weeks will help both businesses and workers.

Blink, Norwich-based marketing agency, introduced such an arrangement four years ago.

Sam Wright, founder and managing director at Blink, said: "A few years ago I saw a few stories of people trying it.

"I felt myself getting to Friday and not being full of energy or being very productive. We always finished early on Friday and began finishing earlier and earlier so it seemed like a good idea to try.

"It worked straight away.

"We've grown since then from five to 15. Productivity is up 20pc. It's helped us to retain and attract talent.

"We did an employee satisfaction survey recently and we scored 9.2 out of 10. The four-day working week was a big part of that."

Mr Wright doesn't think that a four day working weeks wouldn't work for everyone, but he said: "It worked for us and that's amazing."

Although Norwich-based marketing agency Flocc has a five-day working week, the firm has implemented shorter working hours.

Mark Merrywest, director of marketing agency Flocc, said: "We work a shorter working day over five days as we find that is better.

"The theory is similar to a four-day working week, but we just spread the hours over five days. We don't do a four-day working week as it doesn't work for us.

"We work hard for 32 hours a each week, but don't work through lunch or take work home."

The firm implemented the shorter working hours in 2017.

He added: "Since then productivity is higher, sickness lower and energy levels higher.

"It hasn't had a negative affect.

"We've also noticed a difference in recruitment and retention. We've had a ton of people come to us because of our shorter working hours."

He explained that the firm's philosophy is based on the Swedish term 'Lagom' which means 'not too little, not too much - just right'.

"It works. Any workplace is just getting 28 to 32 decent hours from workers even if they are in the office 40 or 50 hours. We are just making sure we work hard for the 32 hours."