New Zealand's four-day week idea catching on
Tuesday, 22 January 2019
A New Zealand firm's four-day working week initiative is gaining traction internationally.
Perpetual Guardian made a 32-hour week an option for all full-time staff from November last year.
Managing director Andrew Barnes said staff productivity lifted 20 per cent during a trial of the shorter working week and staff were more engaged and enthusiastic.
'We have proven the concept and developed a model workable for our business, and we have established a KPI for the leaders in our business to ensure productivity and customer service are maintained.'
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Now, London employer the Wellcome Trust is considering a similar move for its 800 head office staff.
Wellcome is an independent biomedical research charity, established in 1936.
A trial could start by the Northern Hemisphere autumn, in which workers would have Fridays off each week.
Wellcome said it had been watching Perpetual Guardian's initiative in New Zealand.
Ed Whiting, its director of policy, told British media it was looking for ways to increase the impact made towards its charitable mission and to improve staff wellbeing.
'Moving to a four-day week is one of a number of very early ideas that we are looking at that might be beneficial to welfare and productivity for everyone at Wellcome. It will be some months before we can consider a formal decision and we're carefully considering the potential impact it could have on both our staff and the external community.'
He told the Guardian: 'It looks like moving the working week to four days rather than five gets you a broader productivity and wellbeing benefit.
'You have a healthier workforce, a reduction in sickness absence and improved sense of work-life balance.'
Some parts of the organisation already have a no-emails policy in the evenings or at weekends.