Forward thinking South African companies have an opportunity to sign up for the 2nd Pilot Cohort to trial and test the 4 day week 100:80:100 model.
According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2022 Report only 24% of South African workers are engaged at work and only 29% are thriving in their overall wellbeing. We have one of
the lowest mental health scores in the world. Beyond improvements in productivity, wellness and gender equality, there’s potential for a 4 Day Week to help address unemployment and youth upliftment in the longer term.
“Being an early adapter and market leader in reduced-hour, productivity-focused working establishes businesses as innovative, progressive and forward-thinking. The greatest risk is that your competitors try this before you do.” Andrew Barnes.
South African business owners and leaders have been watching the roll out of the world’s biggest 4 Day Week trial in the United Kingdom (UK) with interest. Over 70 companies are currently experimenting with this new way of working. Questions are being posed. Is South Africa ready for this? What challenges could it help solve? And how best to go about it?
The National Business Initiative (NBI), joins Stellenbosch Business School and a growing base of partners in the 4 Day Week SA Coalition – in support of the 4 Day Week as part of the future of work in South Africa.
4 Day Week Global is a not-for-profit community established by Andrew Barnes and Charlotte Lockhart. It’s a platform for like-minded people who are interested in supporting the idea of the 4 Day Week as a part of the future of work. The idea was born out of the waves of attention received, from around the world, in reaction to the successful programme launched at Perpetual Guardian in New Zealand in 2018.
Adopting a 4 Day Week is a business improvement strategy centred on working smarter rather than longer, and investing in the wellbeing of the most important asset to any business – your people. We advocate for the 100-80-100 model – 100% of the pay, 80% of the time, but critically in exchange for 100% of the productivity.
They encourage business, employees, researchers, and government to all play their part in creating a new way of working which will improve business productivity and worker health outcomes, build stronger families and communities, challenge gender equality and work towards a more sustainable work environment.
They are leading a number of trials in countries around the world – including the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. And we are excited to now be collaborating with 4 Day Week SA to help South African companies try it too.