Good idea from a New Zealand company

Part time, if you want, when you want! That was the somewhat provocative title of a recent column on Mode(s) d'emploi by a collective campaign in Lyon aimed at increasing flexibility at work. It is true that France is particularly late in this matter, as it is more than 19 thousand kilometers away from us, but one company has already gone much further than that…

Reduced stress, increased commitment

Since employees are not always well paid, they have another concern beyond salary: achieving a better work-life balance. The head of New Zealand's Perpetual Guardian understands this all too well. So Andrew Barnes decided to conduct a test during March and April, with his employees working four days and being paid the same as a normal week and of course without working more daily, according to reports. New Zealand Herald.

According to the company manager, this free time given to employees will allow them to focus more in the office. After two months of the experiment, his hunch was correct: while only 54% of employees considered themselves capable of managing their professional and personal lives, this percentage rose to 78% during the monthly experiment. Their state of stress decreased from 45 to 38%. These figures were compiled by a team of independent observers from Auckland University of Technology. According to the researchers, productivity did not change, and the sense of responsibility increased by 5%!

Combating gender inequality

“We have seen a significant increase in employee engagement and satisfaction with the work being done, a tremendous increase in employee intent to continue working with the company and no decline in productivity.”Andrew Barnes was satisfied. Once the Board of Directors gives its approval, employees will permanently move to a four-day week!

The advantage of this experience is that it prompts business leaders to think about what makes an employee valuable. If his productivity – which is what he usually gets paid – does not decrease even with his reduced presence in the office, should his salary be reduced? Or, conversely, do you like Andrew Barnes and accept that paying him according to the number of hours he works is not the most relevant criterion…? For business manager: “We pay for productivity. We make a clear distinction between the number of hours you spend in the office and what you get out of it.”.

Even Andrew Barnes, a resolutely modern person, believes that thinking this way would help reduce inequality between men and women. According to him, if a young mother or father can produce the expected workload by being present less, there is no reason to reduce their salaries… The concept of work is the opposite of French models where it is still fashionable to stay up late at night and complain, continuously, To be overwhelmed…

(Istockphoto.com/SIphotography)