Credit: Mohamed Ajufaan
Australian professionals are increasingly confident about the reality of a four-day working week, according to survey by recruiters Hays in a poll of almost 42,000.
Four out of ten (40%) believe a four-day work week will become a reality within the next five years
Unilever, Bright Agency and Our Community are examples of organisations that have already trialled or adopted four-day work weeks in Australia.
In advertising, the shorter working week is emerging. This is Flow last week announced a nine-day fortnight and Equality Media + Marketing has had a four-day week for some time.
The four-day week helped Equality Media + Marketing win Employer of the Year (Headcount under 75) at the AdNews Agency of the Year awards.
“The four-day work week has been a topic of discussion for several years, but the pandemic shifted the way we work and now many professionals continue to prize flexibility,” says Nick Deligiannis, managing director of Hays in Australia & New Zealand.
“Proponents argue a four-day work week can boost productivity, improve employee morale and wellbeing, and reduce stress and burnout. At a time of talent shortages, it can also aid candidate attraction, engagement and retention.
“However, there are also concerns about the practicalities. Many employers worry that a shorter work week could lead to decreased productivity, increased labour costs in organisations that require staff onsite five days a week and increased pressure on staff to meet current outcomes in fewer hours.
“Despite this, it seems that many workers are optimistic about the prospect of a four-day working week becoming a reality. As organisations continue to experiment with different working patterns, it will be interesting to see if this optimism is justified and whether the four-day work week will become more widely adopted in the years ahead.”
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