Workers unwilling to sacrifice current perks for a 4-day week

Although the proposal of a four-day work week is enticing for some employees across the Australian workplace, many are unwilling to give up their current perks as a straight swap.

According to a recent HiBob report, a majority of Aussie workers are against the implementation of a four-day work week if it means sacrificing flexible working arrangements, salaries, or holiday allowances.

Despite the fact that 65 per cent of Aussies would like a four-day work week in comparison to the traditional five-day rotation, only 15 per cent would be willing to make the shift to the new arrangement if it meant a pro rata reduction in salary. On top of that, only one in five (22 per cent) would accept a pro rata reduction in holiday allowance.

Only 33 per cent of respondents would give up flexible working arrangements, such as hybrid working, for a four-day week working operating solely out of the office.

According to HiBob, although the sentiment around sacrificing these perks to receive a four-day work week is rather negative, it cannot disregard the numerous benefits that a four-day work week can have such as significant boosts to productivity, happiness and work/life balance. Due to this, many have hypothesised the four-day work week formula becoming the status quo moving forward.

Speaking on the formula and how employees are receiving its potential implementation, Sabrina Scherm, HiBob’s client advocacy manager, said: “For four-day work weeks to become mainstream, employers are going to have to take a leap of faith.

“It’s understandable that many business leaders are sceptical, but the results from trials show that it works, and it doesn’t come at the cost of profitability.”

The data showed that 69 per cent of women and 60 per cent of men would like a four-day work week compared to a five-day one, but only 23 per cent of women and 41 per cent of men would take it if it meant returning to the office full-time – highlighting the fondness the Australian workforce has for hybrid working arrangements.

“What our data shows, however, is that businesses [that] are thinking about moving to a four-day work week should do so without forcing employees to compromise. Otherwise, those businesses may experience a further decrease in productivity or an increase in employee churn,” Scherm said.