Focus HR Toowoomba commences four-day work week

A Toowoomba business has revealed what it has taken to begin operating under a four-day work week and, more importantly, how it has changed their business for the better.

Focus HR founding director Naomi Wilson was a sceptic of the four-day work week.

That’s until director Alistair Green pushed for the business to give it a try.

Now, there’s no turning back for the team, who says working four days has changed their business and their lives.

At the end of last year, Ms Wilson and her team trialled the four-day work week and implemented it in full this year.

“It wasn’t easy,” Ms Wilson said.

“It was a huge process.

“We had to look at our efficiency.

“It’s not about cramming 38 hours into four days.”

The four-day work week has been a contentious topic of the past 12 months, with some businesses pushing for it and others totally against it.

University of Southern Queensland expert Dr Jennifer Luke called on employers to look at the evidence supporting the business structure in 2021 after trials in Iceland showed overwhelmingly positive results.

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Focus HR still operates over five days, with staff told to submit first and second preferences for their “gift days” away from the office to ensure there were still staff operating five days a week.

Ms Wilson said working out what their “personal driver” was for the extra day off was important to the team.

With an extra day off, one team member is able to spend a Friday every week with her mum who lives three hours away.

Another is able to pick her children up from school.

Not only have their productivity and results increased, but the personal benefits for the team have been overwhelming.

“We got four full-timers on the couch and had a great discussion,” Ms Wilson said.

“The summary was we won’t go back.

“We all feel like it’s giving us some really good balance.

“We’re very conscious that we don’t want to lose connectivity as a team.”

Ms Wilson even said, unintentionally, the team had developed more sensitivity and compassion for one another.

“It has made us all a lot more considerate and conscious of each other,” she said.

“We all want each other to enjoy that day off and not interrupt each other. 

“It’s had this lovely side effect of increasing the way we work as a team and giving each other consideration.”

Ms Wilson said for other businesses considering the change, the team at Focus HR was willing to share their story and how they made it work for them.

“We think there is a lot of planning and a lot of prep to make sure it works,” she said.

”It’s not a snap your fingers and do it thing.”