Report – Swinburne University of Technology, 21 June 2023
Emerging four day work week trends in Australia: preview report
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed the way many of us think about work, and resulted in a huge increase in demand for flexible work arrangements, as employees seek a better work-life balance.
This research investigates the recent rise in popularity of a four-day work week (4DWW) – a concept which was first proposed in the 1970s that is now starting to gain serious attention 50 years later – via a series of semi-structured interviews we conducted with Australian organisations who have already adopted this way of working.
From an employer perspective, the key benefits companies have realised since switching to a 4DWW have been improved staff recruitment and retention, increased productivity levels, and reduced absenteeism.
For employees, the 4DWW gives them more time to complete their ‘life admin’ tasks, enables them to participate in more health and wellness activities, and not only gives them more time to engage in their favourite hobbies, but also enables them to discover brand new pastimes they didn’t have time to enjoy previously.
The researchers found that the key challenges to establishing a 4DWW arrangement were scepticism – from both internal and external stakeholders – the reduced availability of staff, and finding an equitable solution that also benefits part-time staff members.
Read the full report: https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2023-06/apo-nid323150.pdf.
