A company tested four days a week and it came back positive

A New Zealand company has successfully trialled a four-day, paid-for week for five weeks, according to reports New Zealand Herald This Sunday, July 22. The goal of this original experiment was to allow employees to better juggle their work and personal life, and thus feel better within the company.

For two months, 240 employees at Perpetual Guardian, an Auckland (New Zealand) based trust company, worked one day less each week, while continuing to receive the same salary.

Better stress management

A team of independent monitors, commissioned by the University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology, visited the site to assess their stress status at various stages of the process. expertise.

They found that initially, in November 2017, only 54% of employees felt they could manage their personal and professional lives simultaneously. During the two-month trial, they were 78%. In addition, their stress status went from 45% at the start of the trial to 38% during the trial.

A very critical first test

Best of all, employee motivation, engagement and sense of responsibility increased by 5%, while productivity saw no decline despite the reduced hours. “We have seen a significant increase in the engagement and satisfaction of our teams,” said Andrew Barnes, CEO of the company.

Building on the success of this experiment, the New Zealand company is considering creating a four-day week permanently.

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