Case Study: How YWCA Canberra implemented a four-day working week

The four-day working week is a flexible working option that many organisations are experimenting with to provide flexibility to employees. The expectation around the four-day working week has grown, perhaps unrealistically, to be an understanding that employees will work full-time hours over four-days, with no change to their full-time take home pay. The basis for this expectation is research has indicated there is no loss of productivity if employees work less hours, yet this research is not widely supported, particularly by business groups. 

YWCA Canberra took a different approach as paying employees full-time hours working a four-day week in a client facing, human services sector was not a viable business option, just like many employers operating service-based industries. The reality is that many businesses that provide services, requiring direct client facing contact are not able to reduce employee hours whilst still paying them a full-time wage, and most importantly, maintain service-delivery. 

We spoke with Frances Crimmins, Chief Executive Officer of YWCA Canberra about how they implemented a four-day working week tailored to their business model, to offer flexibility to their valued employees, balanced against providing quality services to the community.

What was the driver for a four-day working week at YWCA Canberra?

YWCA Canberra took the step of embedding a four-day working week into their enterprise agreement when it was renegotiated in 2023. This provides employees the option to access flexibility through a four-day working week, available to all employees. 

“The driver was to be able to offer front-line service employees the flexibility to work four-days, either working a longer day or reducing their hours. We recognise that our employees have a life outside of work, whether that be care, sports, personal life etc. Recognising this and supporting employees to have work/life balance, not only helps them, but it also helps us with attendance, as employees can fully engage in the work when they are here, and we have seen a decrease in non-attendance as a result”, explained YWCA Canberra, Chief Executive Officer, Frances Crimmins.

Why can it be challenging for service-based businesses to implement a four-day working week?

The Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) – Hybrid and Flexible Work Practices in Australian Workplaces (2023) Report found that 36% employees cannot work from home. This means that employers who don’t work in industries that readily enable working from home arrangements, must think outside the box when it comes to flexibility – just like YWCA Canberra has done by introducing the four-day working week.    

“The reality is that 70% of work cannot be done remotely, it must be done in person. For service-based businesses, unfortunately we cannot provide unlimited flexibility and the flexible work options we can provide to employees must be balanced against service delivery requirements. Delivering services that involve the care of children, we have ratios that must be maintained, we cannot condense the care of children”, says Frances.

How many YWCA Canberra employees have taken up the four-day working week?

“It has been popular; we have also seen some variations with some employees working a nine-day fortnight too. If employees chose to work a four-day week for example, they work longer days on the roster or alternatively they have the option to reduce their hours. This provides our people with options”, says Frances.

The Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) – Hybrid and Flexible Work Practices in Australian Workplaces (2023) Report found that a four-day working week was one of the most popular forms of flexible working in Australian workplaces, with 21% of organisations surveyed looking to expand the use of the four-day working week in the future. 

What are the benefits of implementing a four-day working week?

“80% of our employees are female, but importantly men also access it – in total we have over 67% of our workforce on some type of flexible working arrangement. The benefit for our employees is that they can have work/life balance, play in a band, sports or caring etc. There are very few roles in our sector that you can work remotely, so this flexibility we offer is worth it”, says Frances. 

The Swinburne University of Technology – Emerging Four Day Work Week Trends in Australia Research reported that the top three benefits for employers who implemented a four-day working week were improvements for recruitment and retention, increased productivity and significant drops in absenteeism. The research found that the four-day working week has a range of potential benefits for both employers and employees.

What advice would you have for other employers, who might be considering a four-day working week?

For client-facing, service-based industries the way flexible working arrangements, including the four-day working week are implemented must be approached with careful consideration and planning. However, this does not mean that it is impossible. Organisations who take the leap to explore flexible arrangements that work in the context of their business operations, can surprisingly find many unexpected benefits for both their people and organisation. 

“You should be open to it, noting that what will work for you will depend on your business model. It is important to engage with your people to see what might be possible. For example, for us we have Friday as a quiet day. This means that in most cases, we can work our rosters to cover it. Give it a go – you just don’t know until you try it out”, says Frances.

More information

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Disclaimer: The material contained in this article is provided as general information only. It is not, nor is intended to be legal advice. If you wish to take any action based on the content of this article, we recommend that you seek professional advice that considers your specific context, needs and requirements.