SafetyCulture founder steps down as CEO, making a big prediction on how workplaces are set to change

Luke Anear believes four-day working weeks are on the cusp of the mainstream, as he steps down as chief executive of the $2.5bn workplace software company he founded.

SafetyCulture Founder Luke Anear (right) will step down as CEO, passing the reins to Kelly Vohs (left), a former US Green Beret. Picture: Greg Fonne/The Photo Pitch

SafetyCulture founder Luke Anear believes four-day working weeks are on the cusp of entering the mainstream as he contemplates a potential US listing and steps down as chief executive of the $2.5bn workplace software company

Mr Anear — who founded SafetyCulture in his garage at Townsville in 2004 — will assume a new role as executive chairman on January 1, saying it was the right time to step aside from day-to-day operations.

“I was always a reluctant CEO. I was CEO because there was no one else who could do the job,” Mr Anear said.

“I was passionately trying to solve a problem in the world that I cared about, and I think now — with the business where it’s at and the stage it’s at, and what’s about to happen in terms of the growth — it really does, you know, I think lend itself to a CEO who’s a real CEO.”

Kelly Vohs — a former Green Beret in the US Army Special Forcers — will take over as chief executive.

He was initially approached to become SafetyCulture’s president, but, about six weeks ago, Mr Anear said he contacted Mr Vohs, asking him ‘how would you like the CEO role’.

“It was about six weeks ago when I just kind of had an a-ha moment. I had been away from home every week over the last year, and I could see where the company’s going over the next 10-20 years, I’m going to be away even more. It’s a global business,” Mr Anear said.

“We’ve got plenty of capital in the bank. We’ve got a platform that has been in market for a year and global customer base and wonderful team.”

SafetyCulture’s incoming CEO Kelly Vohs.

Mr Vohs joins SafetyCulture with a decade of leadership experience working at Blackstone portfolio companies in the US. He was most recently chief executive of US-based real estate company LivCor.

His appointment comes as SafetyCulture slashed its annual loss from $46.1m to $35.8m, marking an “inflection point”, while revenue surged 30 per cent to $160.57m as it sets its sights on becoming the next Canva or Atlassian and introduces more artificial intelligence features into its products.

When AI is mentioned, Mr Anear makes his four-day work week prediction. Companies across the world, including Australia’s biggest health insurer Medibank, have been trialling the new working method, which allows people to work one day less per week with no loss in pay.

SafetyCulture has built the world’s largest repository of workplace data, containing over 5 petabytes of data and billions of images, allowing them to see how AI is transforming businesses and employees globally.

“We think of AI as giving every worker a superpower. AI on its own, I don’t think really replaces jobs. I think people or workers using AI will replace other people, and that’s kind of the key,” Mr Anear said.

“It frees up a whole lot of thinking in our workforce to be able to tackle the next big problems, rather than doing the repetitive tasks or the menial tasks, and that’s really the role of technology over the last 50 years, is to take away the repetitive tasks for people.

“We’re now seeing that with robotics, so reducing manual handling, injuries and things like that, and I think that’s ultimately going to lead us to a four-day work week at some point in the future.”

SafetyCulture Founder Luke Anear and incoming CEO Kelly Vohs. Picture: Greg Fonne/The Photo Pitch

Mr Anear said a four-day working week is not revolutionary. “If you look back 60-70 years ago, a six-day work week was pretty common. Now it’s five. I think the productivity gains you’ll see across society and AI, is going to accelerate a lot, a lot of that means that people have more time to spend with family and do things and enjoy as well outside of their work,” he said.

And it’s not just for knowledge workers.

“I’ve seen cleaners in the Heathrow Airport in London using sensor data on the bathroom usage to direct the cleaners to go where they’re most needed, rather than just doing rounds. That reduced their efficient or increased their efficiency by about 30 per cent.”

Mr Anear said he will continue to play an active role at SafetyCulture and said the company was mulling an Atlassian-style US listing.

He has previously criticised Australian-based private companies being compelled to lodge their accounts with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. US private companies face no such disclosures, giving SafetyCulture’s rivals an advantage.

“Ultimately we could end up listing in the US. That’s one option for us, and we’ll just see,” Mr Anear said.

Before he decided to step down, Mr Anear spoke with mentor and SafetyCulture investor Scott Farquhar, who resigned as Atlassian’s co-chief executive in August.

“Scott’s always been a great supporter and mentor. Scott said one thing he’s realised too is when you transition a role, you still take yourself wherever you go.

“I think some of the things that maybe I find frustrating at times or whatever in my work, I’m probably still going to have those frustrations on a day-to-day level. But, I think living with more gratitude for what we have and what we’ve done is probably something I’ll focus on a bit more, rather than always pushing for the next thing and the next thing.”

Mr Vohs said: “I am deeply honoured to accept this role and excited by the clear mandate I’ve been given to drive the company forward towards its next big milestones”.

“I’ve seen first-hand the potential SafetyCulture’s platform has to completely transform workplaces, help teams improve and keep people safe. I’m ready to tackle the challenge of helping even more customers start that journey.”

SafetyCulture recently closed a $165m funding round, which valued the company at $2.5bn, and the company has signalled its ambition to continue creating regular liquidity events for shareholders and employees.

With 85,000 businesses and nearly 2 million users worldwide now using the SafetyCulture platform, Mr Anear said the company continues to see record sign-up growth, saying its average customer has doubled in size over the last two years.

Originally published as SafetyCulture founder steps down as CEO, making a big prediction on how workplaces are set to change