Australian private health insurer Medibank has announced it is trialling a 4-day work week.
Over the next six months, 250 employees will participate in the trial, based on a 100:80:100 model — meaning employees receive 100% pay to work 80% of their regular hours, while maintaining 100% productivity.
Medibank says the model will give employees more time for their health and wellbeing.
Medibank’s 4-day work week
Medibank has designed the trial with international productivity organisation 4 Day Week Global.
Macquarie University’s Health and Wellbeing Research Unit will monitor the trial to observe the impact on employees’ rest, productivity, performance, and overall wellbeing.
Other trials
This isn’t the first time a four-day work week has been introduced in Australian workplaces.
In November last year, Unilever (which owns brands like Dove, Lynx, and Vaseline) introduced an 18-month trial in its Australian offices, after a successful four-day-week trial in New Zealand.
Unilever NZ reported employee stress and “absenteeism” (repeated and intentional failure to attend work) reduced by more than 30%.
