Unilever Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) have announced the continuation of its four-day workweek experiment in New Zealand, bringing the trial to Australia. All 80 New Zealand employees participated in the 18-month trial, working 80 percent of their regular hours while retaining 100 percent of their salaries and committing to 100 percent delivery for the business.
The trial reported revenue growth, high staff engagement and a 34 percent drop in absenteeism. Stress dropped 33 percent, and work/life conflict fell 67 percent. Stakeholders and partners all agreed that the New Zealand team still completed their work on time and to high quality.
“A high-performing business requires thriving people, and the need to attract and retain passionate talent is more critical than ever. It’s imperative for us to continue to deliver superior business performance whilst also meeting the evolving needs and expectations of our thriving workforce,” said Cameron Heath, Unilever New Zealand Managing Director.
“We’re excited to see the trial extend to Australia and know the toolkit and learnings we realised in Aotearoa will translate well to our peers in Australia.”
The initial trial was monitored and measured by the UTS Business School and ran from December 1 2020, to June 30 2022.
“The Unilever New Zealand 4 Day Work Week trial week produced successful, independent measurements. Through rigorous, in-depth academic research, we have produced a robust, multi-level data set that can be used to further refine the initiative over time. In conducting this trial in collaboration with UTS Business School, Unilever ANZ has been a pioneer in helping to create an evidence-base that can inform ongoing research into the future of work,” said Professor Dalton, Head of the Department of Management at UTS Business School.
“We know our learnings will be useful at a time of change in the workplace, particularly as New Zealand moves through the headwinds of the pandemic and as businesses embrace new and exciting ways of working. We’re proud to be leaders in equipping our own people and others for the future,” concluded Heath.
