Australian Four-Day Work Week Trial Suggests Less Workdays Equals No Drop in Productivity

A four-day work week trialed by Medibank, Australia’s largest private health provider, has resulted in a significant reduction in sick and carer’s leave and decreased stress levels among employees.  

The four-day work week also had no reported drop in employee productivity, BNN Breaking reports.  

According to a report published by The North West Star, the six-month experiment — which involves about one in every 15 Medibank workers — has maintained productivity at consistent levels with the rest of the company’s 3600-strong workforce. 

The trial has empowered teams with greater autonomy over their weekly scheduling, leading to reductions in low-value work and unnecessary meetings. Remarkably, by the 10th week of the trial, nearly half of the participating workers were taking the fifth day off, while part-time employees received pro-rata time off. 

The trial is under the observation of the Health and Wellbeing Research Unit at Macquarie Business School, employing a framework where staff members continue to receive their full salary while being expected to sustain efficiency — even though they are working 20% fewer hours. 

The early outcomes show promise, with workers on the front lines witnessing a 67% decrease in the usage of sick and carer’s leave starting from the first week. A pattern that remained stable through to the tenth week. 

Medibank’s forward-thinking strategy in managing work schedules may provide valuable lessons on benefiting employee well-being without compromising work output. The promising results coincide with earlier successful trials in the U.K. and Canada, which have shared similar results. As more trials release data, four-day work week experiments around the world have greater potential to set a precedent for future workplace norms.