From Mr Mike Rigby.

Sir, Lucy Kellaway (“Don’t just dress down on Fridays, down your tools”, July 5) recommends ending the working week on Thursday, thus saving 20 per cent of the wage bill at a stroke, without a drop in productivity. She makes the case with a light touch and cites examples that support her argument.

But a large body of evidence from the 1970s UK supports her case. In 1973 oil prices were going through the roof. Britain was in crisis. Edward Heath put Britain on a three-day week to conserve coal and reduce electricity usage. Commercial use of electricity was limited to three consecutive days each week. The measure was announced in December 1973 and a normal working week restored in March 1974.

Most people expected a proportional 40 per cent drop in productivity. Much to everyone’s surprise, that didn’t happen. We found ways around the restrictions. Candles and oil lamps helped a bit but mostly we learned to do significantly more in considerably less time. There was no drop in output. Extra productivity wasn’t achieved by better systems, or smarter management, there wasn’t the time to improve on that, but with a sense of challenge, fun and purpose. Strict deadlines meant time was a priority. We worked a little faster, cut buffer time and socialised a little less.

It was an awkward discovery that people could do as much in three days as they did in five. Once life returned to normal people quickly forgot this potentially embarrassing truth and relaxed back into a five-day week.

The Treasury asks that every government department should prepare for up to 40 per cent cuts, although only 25 per cent may be imposed. Is it doable? Yes. Will we face massive disruption? Possibly less than we fear.

Mike Rigby,

Managing Director, MRA Marketing,

Wotton-under-Edge, Glos, UK