Perpetual Guardian, a New Zealand firm managing trusts, wills and estates, is considering introducing a 32-hour week following a successful experiment. As part of the experiment, workers were allowed to work eight hours less (equivalent to a day’s leave) for the same pay as their full-time contract.
The experiment ran from March to April and was followed by two researchers. Workers reported the shorter hours allowed them to manage their time better, increased productivity and improved their work-life balance. Similar trials have been run in Sweden showing positive results although critics fear it could harm the country’s competitiveness.
