According to a study conducted by HR consultant www.Reabur.com of more than 1,200 Britons in full time employment, 51 per cent say they would welcome the opportunity for an extra day off at the expense of remuneration.

A further 14 per cent of respondents would willingly sacrifice ‘half a day’s wages’ in order to finish work at ‘lunch time on a Friday’, while 4 per cent state that they would prefer the half day to be taken on a ‘Monday morning’.

Some 6 per cent of respondents say that they would be prepared to ‘permanently lose two paid working days’ in order to receive a ‘four day’ weekend and therefore just attend work three days a week.

In contrast, 14 per cent of the respondents say that they would be happy to have a longer weekend however, if a permanently longer weekend was implemented across the UK they ‘wouldn’t want’ it at the expense of a deduction in their salary.

A further 9 per cent state that they feel ‘happy’ with working a five day week with the standard two days for a weekend and ‘wouldn’t want it to change’; while 2 per cent of the respondents admitted that they felt ‘impartial’.

Georgina Read, co-managing director of Reabur.com says, ‘Many companies do offer a shorter working day on a Friday, as people tend to ‘wind down’ at the end of the week, but it is unlikely starting late on a Monday would be  considered an alternative offering as many employers will expect their staff to  feel reenergised and ready to go ‘full steam’ into the week ahead.

‘The respondents who wanted their weekend extended to four days, and willing to reduce their pay, could make a flexible working request to their employer, but do need to consider how their request could impact on the business.’