The Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) is championing a groundbreaking proposal that introduces a game-changer for full-time employees: the option to compress their 38-hour workweek into just four days.
Imagine powering through 9.5-hour days to secure an extra day off each week!
However, there’s a catch. Employees will need to navigate up to four weekend shifts a month, tackling the hustle and bustle of supermarkets’ peak times.
“This could mean clocking in for one weekend shift a week, either a Saturday or a Sunday, or possibly working both days on a weekend followed by two weekends of well-deserved rest,” explains Bernie Smith, SDA NSW secretary, in a chat with The Australian.
Woolworths is leading the charge, embracing the global shift toward a four-day workweek, all in the name of enhancing work-life harmony for its team.
In a bold move, Bunnings tested the waters with a four-day workweek trial for its full-time staff in 2023.
Meanwhile, in August 2022, 26 Australian companies leaped into a trial with 4 Day Work Week Global, trimming down workweeks with outstanding outcomes.
They saw a whopping 44% drop in absenteeism and a 9% decrease in resignations, painting a promising picture of the future of work.
