In the 1850s during the Gold Rush era, a group of overworked stonemasons in Melbourne downed their tools and demanded an eight-hour work day.
The trial, involving 20 organisations in industries ranging from finance to fashion in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific, offers employees reduced working hours with no loss in pay. It runs alongside similar pilot schemes taking place in Ireland, the United States, Canada, Spain, and the UK. With many companies around the world having embraced remote working following the COVID-19 pandemic, those unable to do should instead consider adopting a four-day work week for their employees, says Karin Sanders, Professor in the School of Management and Governance at UNSW Business School.
"It's really not common in Australia ... the culture is much more on performance and not focusing on the well-being of people," she said. Of the 70 organisations participating in the trial, 88 per cent said that the four-day week is working "well" for their business and 86 per cent indicated they were "likely" or "extremely likely" to consider continuing the four-day work week beyond the end of the trial in late November.
fatherHank Oh shiiiiiiiit
Love to see long-term studies on productivity of 4-day week. Generally, the new thing works well for a while, then people take the new thing as standard, then revert back to pre-new thing productivity. External benefits would be increased tourism though
They won’t though. Why make money 4 days of the week when you can make money 7 days week 365 days a year?
Absolutely
How do I short?
I like a 4 x 4 x 4 hour day broken up however. 4 hrs mahi (service in any area) x 4 hrs training / personal development x 4 hrs leisure activities - the other 12 hrs for eating and sleeping.
Many business owners are already doing a four day week themselves. Just look at the golf course mid week. And the main roads on Friday. The businesses that adapt to this idea will attract very efficient staff.
'But little has changed in the past 172 years when it comes to full-time working conditions for employees across the country' This is an outright lie.
Why not a one day week with same pay. Yay!
Do they retain the same take home pay as before?
I'll cancel 20% of my clients then but still get paid for it.
Working one less day is definitely more beneficial to both a company and the employees than, say, working hard to pursuing a fulfilling career in a field that you enjoy. This is basic science, people. Just like standing 1.5m away from others to prevent getting a virus.
I have worked this out. We need an operational week of monday to saturday, 16hours-for government & non-government.With option sunday OT Standard hours are maxium 24 hours per week (4,8,12hr shifts) with one extra shift OT a month Averages to 25.8 hours per week.Job shares
I worked at a manufacturing facility that operated a 4 day work week, 10 hour day. - staff were happier - company loyalty was strong - error rate was extremely low - Productivity was higher than on a 5 day week operated with previously. - sick leave was almost nonexistent.