Unilever experiences four days a week in New Zealand

New Zealand agribusiness and cosmetics giant Unilever announced on Tuesday, 1 December that it will test the four-day work week, with no salary cuts for employees, and a proposal to that effect has been put forward by the New Zealand government. to revive the economy.

Read also:The French dream four days a week

The group specifies that 81 employees will be eligible for the trial, which is supposed to start in December and last for a year. Depending on the results in New Zealand, the four-day workweek can be served anywhere else in the world by Unilever. “Our goal is to measure performance in production, not on time. We believe that the old way of working is gone and is no longer relevant”Unilever New Zealand CEO Nick Bangs said.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in May brought up the possibility of switching to a four-day workweek to help revive the economy burdened by coronavirus-related restrictions, including a seven-week shutdown. It has encouraged creative ideas that will enhance flexibility in business. The Labor leader returned to her post after winning the legislative elections in October.

Read also:Germany: The pandemic renews the controversy over the four-day working week

Nick Bangs said there was momentum for a shorter work week as the pandemic changed the work culture in the office. “This is an exciting moment for our team, and it is a way to validate the catalyst role that Covid-19 has played in disrupting practices in the world of work”, He said.

The company hopes its employees will gain in productivity if it allows them to be more flexible. The results of this experiment will be analyzed by the University of Technology, Sydney. “We look forward to sharing lessons learned from this experience with other New Zealand companies, hoping to inspire others to think about their way of doing business.”, ajoute Nick Bang.