This Working Life Unlock the power of a four day week
Feb 15, 2026
Anne Rayner, founder of The Productivity Bargain who helps organisations implement four-day weeks, and John Hopkins, management professor researching flexible work, discuss why shorter weeks are back in focus. They cover evidence on productivity, Launceston Council’s trial, planning and audits, preventing work intensification, and practical roadmaps for successful implementation.
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A Century-Old Norm Deserves Reassessment
- The five-day week became normal after Ford's shift a century ago, but today's technology and lives differ greatly from then.
- The historical norm deserves reassessment because constant connectivity now increases hours and blurs boundaries.
Shorter Hours Often Preserve Or Improve Output
- Trials and research (e.g., Four Day Week Global) find productivity typically holds or improves when hours are reduced.
- Reduced hours can boost performance because overwork diminishes productivity and safety beyond a point.
Nine-Day Fortnight Lifted Morale
- Greg described a nine-day fortnight where every two weeks staff could take a day off, commonly a Friday.
- The policy boosted morale but the day off wasn't an automatic right to disconnect and often had to be earned or scheduled.