Finding the time for a work-life balance that includes getting enough sleep, exercising, seeing friends and family and relaxing (AKA scrolling Instagram) is pretty much impossible in today’s fast-paced world.
But just imagine how much more you could get done if every weekend consisted of three days.
That dream could soon become a reality if research from a company in New Zealand is anything to go by. Earlier this year, the Kiwi business, Perpetual Guardian, rolled out a 32-hour work week on a trial basis, wherein employees still got paid for five days but only worked four.
The New York Times reports that researchers from the University of Auckland, who surveyed employees during the two-month trial period, found that 24% reported a healthier work-life balance, which resulted in them feeling more energised at the office.
“Supervisors said staff were more creative, their attendance was better, they were on time, and they didn’t leave early or take long breaks,” Jarrod Haar, a human resources professor at Auckland University of Technology said.
“Their actual job performance didn’t change when doing it over four days instead of five.” Instead, employees increased their productivity while in the office by cutting meeting times in half and signalling to coworkers when they were busy and needed to work.
“They worked out where they were wasting time and worked smarter, not harder,” Mr. Haar said.
Anyone else ready to move across the ditch right about now?
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