Harcourts Kingsberry focuses on productivity by adopting nine-day work fortnight

Momentum is building for the nine-day work fortnight, and a Townsville company has just jumped on board. Do you like the idea? VOTE IN OUR POLL.

Leighton Smith

@LeightonESmith

3 min read

April 5, 2025 - 2:00AM

Townsville Bulletin

Harcourts Kingsberry Townsville managing director Ben Kingsberry was looking forward to seeing his team enjoy the benefits of working nine-day fortnight. Picture: Supplied.

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As workers aspire towards a better work-life balance and businesses look to boost their productivity, a Townsville company has moved with the times by introducing the increasingly popular nine-day work fortnight.

A nine-day fortnight schedule typically involves extending the workday slightly so that employees can accumulate enough hours to take an additional day off every two weeks, or it could involve reducing work hours without any drop in salary.

In addition to an improved work-life balance, Zoom Recruitment lists several other advantages, including healthier, more engaged staff, attracting and retaining top talent, improved mental well-being, and enhanced flexibility.

Looking to harness these benefits for their employee-centred business, Harcourts Kingsberry Townsville managing director Ben Kingsberry and ownership team Corrie Maxted and Tamara Weight, recently announced that they would introduce a nine-day fortnight from June.

He said they had been considering the move since 2022, and there would be no expectation of staff working extra hours, with the focus instead on productivity.

“If we’re completely honest, we still don’t feel completely ready – but at the end of the day the researched benefits for our team and our business are something we just couldn’t ignore anymore,” Mr Kingsberry said.

“I’m currently undertaking a Senior Executive MBA at Melbourne Business School, and the research around the benefits to the team and the business concurrently are just undeniable.

“For us, this is not a balancing act between what’s good for the team and good for the business – this is a win-win for everyone.”

Harcourts Kingsberry Townsville partners Corrie Maxted, Tamara Weight and Ben Kingsberry at their premises on Charters Towers Rd. Picture: Evan Morgan

Mr Kingsberry noted that they need to be careful making the “massive adjustment” to ensure that they got the implementation right.

“(The staff) absolutely love it. (There was) some trepidation around how it will work, but that’s why we’ve brought it in with a few months of lead-time so we can work with the team in the areas where there could be some difficulties.

“In particular the parents we employ are ecstatic at the opportunity.”

Townsville City Council is another local employer offering a nine-day fortnight, depending on operational requirements.

Recruiter weighs in on the nine-day challenge

TP Human Capital managing director Clayton Cook said the nine-day fortnight was a more sustainable middle ground than the globally hyped four-day work week, which was “unrealistic for most small to medium businesses”.

With most businesses adopting nine-day fortnights compressing their total hours into longer days, he said the challenge was to ensure that workload expectations were realistic, that it was managed fairly if some roles couldn’t participate, and to shift towards a results-based performance rather than hours logged.

TP Human Capital managing director Clayton Cook. Picture: Josephine Carter.

“Flexibility is absolutely becoming a deciding factor for job seekers. But businesses also have to ensure whatever model they choose is sustainable – not just on paper, but in practice,” Mr Cook said.

“At TP Human Capital, we help businesses design workforce strategies like this because it’s about more than just offering a perk – it’s about balancing people, productivity, and profitability.”

Chamber of Commerce backs the shift

Townsville Chamber of Commerce president Miranda Mears regards the nine-day fortnight as an “incredibly powerful way to attract, retain and incentivise employees as well as enhance productivity and efficiency in the organisation”.

Townsville Chamber of Commerce president Miranda Mears.

“It’s important though for both the organisation and the employee that there is more to just saying we are going to have a nine day fortnight,” Ms Mears said.

“It needs a collaborative approach to setting expectations, communicating proactively and responsively, including communication to stakeholders, customers and suppliers.”

“It also needs to look at the key priority times and schedules within the business to make sure that deadlines are accommodated and the normal organisation operating rhythm works effectively.”

She said it was also important to note that the arrangement wasn’t always the right fit for every business.

“A collaborative approach of leadership and teams to think innovatively about what a more balanced and flexible work culture looks like in their specific circumstances can also yield positive results,” she said.