<
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/mar/16/four-day-work-working-week-what-happened>
"During the global soul-searching that followed the rupture of Covid-19
lockdowns, one idea for how we might live better suddenly seemed plausible: the
four-day work week.
The model is simple but somewhat counterintuitive. Employees work fewer hours
for the same salary while getting the same amount of (or even more) work done.
Advocates say this is made possible by reducing meeting times, streamlining
workflows and prioritising work more efficiently.
But despite the hype and the reports of successful trials, the four-day week
remains niche.
Last year Bupa and Unilever walked away from trials of reduced work hours,
citing the four-day model as “rigid”. Last month Launceston city council
scrapped plans to become the first Australian government body to introduce a
four-day work week after backlash from the business sector. Yet, after failing
to have the four-day work week seriously considered in last year’s productivity
roundtable, the Australian Council of Trade Unions has again called for a right
for workers to request a four-day work week.
So, given that the majority of full-time workers are still working five days a
week, whatever happened to this much promised work-life-balance nirvana?"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
