Government holds back support for four-day working week

Monday, 6 January 2020

The Government does not plan to follow Finland's lead to encourage businesses to offer staff a four-day week.

Finland's new Prime Minister Sanna Marin has reportedly called for the introduction of a flexible working schedule that would involve a four-day-week and six-hour working day.

She said it would allow workers to spend more time with their families.

The four-day week has been promoted in New Zealand by Perpetual Guardian, which found that it boosted productivity among its staff by 20 per cent.

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Charlotte Lockhart, chief executive of 4 Day Week, the company set up to publicise the concept, said New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern should follow Marin's lead.

Sanna Marin has offered her backing for a four-day working week.

Legislating for a four-day week would be difficult, she said, because of the variables involved.

But Ardern could make a significant difference by indicating her support. 'It would be great if she made even a public statement … to come out and say there's real merit in this and we'd like to engage in the process.'

There was widespread support for the idea around the world, she said.

Employment Minister Willie Jackson said it was not part of the Government's work programme.

'Instead we are focussed on ensuring we build a strong economy that all New Zealanders can participate in, through lifting the minimum wage to working with employers on projects such as our infrastructure investments and ensuring we are supporting the upskilling of our workforce through initiatives like Mana in Mahi.'

Workplace Relations Minister Iain Lees-Galloway said the Government supported workers and businesses working together to make their workplaces more flexible.

'A four-day working week is part of this. This is possible right now and, as you know, many businesses are already doing it and many find it makes for a productive and happy workplace.'

Council of Trade Unions president Richard Wagstaff said the country should explore the concept.

'Government, unions and employers should get around the table and have a look at it, see whether we could give it a go. There's no doubt many people would leap at the chance to work a four-day week.'

He said the issue of time worked was likely to continue to be an important one as more people became connected to work all day, every day.

But economist Shamubeel Eaqub said having the Government define hours of work was not helpful.

'It's just another way of implementing minimum wages. But for low-income people they will often be better off having multiple jobs.'