Four-day work weeks proving to be mutually beneficial for workers, employees

Shorter work weeks are “rapidly” becoming a reality in Australia. Here’s how to request an extra day off from your boss – and why it could be beneficial for them, too.

The four-day work week could be closer than you think, with many Aussies already enjoying reduced workdays.

As a new national trial of the shorter work week kicks off this month, research reveals 11 per cent of Australians are now offered a four-day arrangement by their employer – up 8.6 per cent since last year.

The findings prove a reduced work week is no longer “just wishful thinking on the part of employees’’, says payroll provider ADP, which conducted the research. They also demonstrate a “significant shift’’ in traditional work patterns.

Almost a third of Aussie workers expect a four-day week will become the norm within their industry within the next five years, the research shows.

Employee mental health and burnout is a key driver for many businesses adopting a four-day week. Picture: iStock

‘A tangible reality’

Workplaces are embracing myriad interpretations of the shorter week, ranging from working 30 hours a week for no sacrifice in pay, to maintaining full-time hours over fewer days, says ADP managing director Kylie Baullo.

“There’s not one size fits all … even in the one workplace,” she says.

“The four-day working week is no longer a distant dream – it’s rapidly becoming a tangible reality in Australia.”

Unilever, Bunnings, Medibank and Telstra are among those testing various iterations of reduced workdays.

Baullo says improved employee mental health is a key driver for many businesses adopting a four-day week, amid increasing rates of worker burnout.

She says business productivity is maintained through “working smarter” and eliminating inefficiencies, such as meetings that are unproductive.

“Numerous businesses are already reaping the advantages of this change,” she says.

“If a four-day working week aligns with business needs, enabling workers to achieve a better work-life balance without compromising productivity, this will result in a mutually beneficial outcome for all.”

Leading the way

Acute talent shortages have paved the way for Australia to become a leader in flexible work arrangements, as businesses look to more innovative ways to attract and retain staff, says Debbie Bailey from non-profit 4 Day Week Global.

Later this month, up to 30 Australian companies will take part in 4 Day Week Global’s latest six-month trial, with full-time staff able to work 30 hours a week with no cut to their pay.

The benefits to employees are obvious – “Who doesn’t want to work four days instead of five?” says Bailey. But last year’s trial was also a huge success with employers, with 95 per cent of participating organisations favouring the reduced schedule.

“Australia is becoming a leader in this space,” Bailey says. “Our staffing challenges aren’t going anywhere – we struggle to attract good staff and retain them so we need to be a bit more creative in how we approach these problems and the solutions.

“The research shows a four-day week can help an organisation with these things (worker attraction and retention).

“It also shows a reduction in sick leave and … an increase in productivity, no losses in revenue and happier staff.

“As an organisation, why wouldn’t you (adopt a four-day week model)?”

‘Lot happier’

Sally Haydon is “a lot happier” since shifting to a four-day week.

Halfway into its six-month trial of a four-day work week, private health insurer Medibank is already seeing promising results.

Eliminating superfluous meetings and other “waste work” has ensured there is no loss in productivity, yet there’s been a two-third reduction in staff taking carers and sick leave, says Medibank ahm senior executive Sally Haydon.

At a personal level, Haydon says her two children have noticed she’s “a lot happier to be around” now that she has every Friday off work. It has also freed her up to volunteer more regularly with Vinnies.

“It’s been great,” Haydon says. “I get some of the chores done that would usually be done on the weekend and I pick up the kids on Friday and we get some quality time together, which means they’re happier too.

“They love that Fridays are the time to hang out with me and, even on the weekend, they’re finding me more present.”

Haydon says the experiment, which allows participating staff to retain their full pay entitlements, has also made the time spent at work seem more enjoyable.

“There’s certainly no Sunday night dread but, also, we have got more energy (when we are at work) to get into it and get things done,” she says.

Convincing the boss

4 Day Week Global’s Debbie Bailey offers the following tips to persuade your boss to give you a shorter work week:

1. Educate yourself: Determine the workforce challenges faced by your company, such as staff attraction and retention, worker wellbeing, loss of revenue and productivity or gender inequality, and research how a four-day week might help.

2. Speak to colleagues: There’s strength in numbers so get your co-workers and your union representative, if you have one, on board before you approach your boss.

3. Make your case: Depending on the size of your organisation, speak to your line manager, HR official or chief executive about the benefits of a four-day week and how it can help the company meet its goals.

4. Address concerns: Listen to your employer’s concerns, take them back to your employee group and discuss how to address them. Suggest a six-month trial.

5. Join a pilot program that includes training, mentoring, research and networking: More than 90 per cent of companies that run trials decide to continue with a four-day week.

Originally published as Four-day work weeks proving to be mutually beneficial for workers, employees