It expects a four-day work week model to maintain the same level of pay through the protection of current pay and conditions.

Prime minister, treasurer say ‘no plans’ to adopt policy

Albanese said there were “no plans” for the government to adopt the idea but that the union was “of course, entitled to put forward whatever ideas it would like”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said there were “no plans” for the government to adopt a standardised four-day work week. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas

Chalmers, during a press conference in Canberra, similarly said the government hadn’t been working up a policy for a four-day work week and that it “hasn’t been our focus”.

“Our focus in industrial relations has been abolishing non-compete clauses, protecting penalty rates, extending paid parental leave … That’s our industrial relations agenda, and what motivates our agenda.”

Australians are working longer hours

The four-day work week is one proposed solution to this. A 2023 study from Swinburne University examined 10 Australian companies trialling a four-day work week. They found that 70 per cent of the companies reported higher productivity. The 30 per cent that reported no gains found that productivity remained equal to pre-trial levels.

Another peer-reviewed study found that a four-day work week can boost employee satisfaction as well as productivity. A survey of 2,896 employees working four-day weeks in organisations across Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland found shorter working weeks resulted in higher performance, a reduction in burnout, and better employee health and retention.

‘Shaking the tree for ideas’

But not all workplaces are wanting to move in the same direction. The Australian Financial Review reported that some major banks are shifting their approaches to work culture after Westpac chief executive Anthony Miller sent a memo in December last year outlining his practice of working “every day, including Christmas Day”.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says next week’s economic reform roundtable aims to “shake the tree for ideas” when it comes to boosting productivity. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas

Westpac is one of the corporate entities contributing to the economic reform roundtable next week.