Companies test four-day workweek, but expert says employers need to go even further

Some companies will start testing a four-day workweek, but an expert says employers need to go even further with flexible work arrangements.

Starting Monday, August 1, 20 companies across industries will try out a four-day workweek as part of a pilot study in New Zealand and Australia.

The research is being conducted by 4 Day Week Global, which has conducted similar pilots in Ireland, the United States, Canada, Spain and the UK.

The foundation was established after Andrew Barnes, head of trust firm Perpetual Guardian, introduced a four-day work week for its 240 employees in 2018. productivity increase 20%.

Following this success, the 4 Day Week Global foundation was established to explore the benefits of the practice in companies worldwide.

READ MORE:
* New ride-share site connects commuters and drivers with seats over
* Dad helps fund son’s business by providing self-service technology to the hospitality industry
* Is it time we all started working a four-day work week?

The trial in August marks the first time the foundation has researched the effects of a four-day work week on a range of companies in Australia and New Zealand.

The 20 companies involved in the trial come from a variety of industries, including construction, software, digital marketing, law firms, finance and health.

Charlotte Lockhart, co-founder of 4 Day Week Global, said the number of participating industries is a sign of the high level of interest in the workforce.

“New Zealand has been slow to respond to the pandemic, so we have also been slow to adapt to post-Covid workplace strategies,” Lockhart said.

While European governments were eager to try a four-day trial week and fund companies to try out the concept, the New Zealand government has been slow, she said.

“In New Zealand, the government just hasn’t supported the idea, which is a bit disappointing, especially given the concept that started with a New Zealand venture. But we’re hopeful that we can get a better grip once we have the support of global research,” she said.

The data from the 4 Day Week Global New Zealand and Australian pilot will be used in research from the University of Queensland School of Economics and the University of Sydney Business School.

But flexible working expert Gillian Brookes said business in New Zealand could go beyond a four-day workweek.

Brookes said the international trend of job sharing, where two or more people share a role usually done by one person, could be a game changer for the way New Zealanders work.

“For many people, full-time is not feasible, but the role is bigger than it could be part-time. If companies are open to job sharing, the benefits are huge, especially in accelerating diversity in a workplace,” Brookes said.

The UK government has championed job sharing, finding the system encouraged staff retention and the opportunity for employees to maintain career advancement over lifestyle changes, she said.

“Of cost of living at a height of 30 yearsIf we don’t do something different for a workforce, it’s going to be very painful for a lot of people.

“A shorter week and ideas like job sharing are what employers should think about as alternatives to our culture of long work days and low productivity.”