Analysis of the trial of the four-day working week has revealed great efficiency, reduced stress and increased staff engagement, fuelling hopes that a better work-life balance for employees could be in sight.
Perpetual Guardian, a New Zealand financial services company, switched its 240 staff from a five-day to a four-day week and maintained their pay. Productivity increased in the four days when they worked, so there was no drop in the total amount of work done, a study of the trial released on Tuesday revealed. The trial was monitored by academics at the University of Auckland and the Auckland University of Technology. The eight-week experiment was closely watched by employers and policymakers around the world. “This is an idea whose time has come,” said Andrew Barnes, Perpetual Guardian’s founder. “We need to get more companies to give it a go.”
The government has conducted a study of the possibility of four，day weeks. However, research points to the complexity of achieving productivity gains in major industries such as retail (零售），where being present is a key part of the job. Smaller companies experimenting with four-day working weeks have found performance was better in the first few weeks as excitement about the project took hold, before falling slightly. “The biggest concern is ensuring that the foll-time introduction of the policy doesn’t lead to self-satisfaction, as there is a risk that people’s productivity will slip back,” said Tammy Barker, a branch manager who was part of the trial. “Therefore， we’ve spent a lot of time making sure every person in every team has their own plan as to how they’re going to maintain and even improve productivity.” According to Jarrod Haar，a professor of human resource management at the Auckland University of Technology, significantly lower job stress was reported with four-day working weeks. “Beyond wellbeing, employees reported their teams were stronger and functioned better together, more satisfied with their jobs, more engaged, and that they felt their work had greater meaning,” he said. “It is really a great way to make employees be more committed to the organization and less likely to look elsewhere for a job.”
12. What changes took place in Perpetual Guardian during the experiment?
① the length of daily working hours
② the amount of pay per day
③the efficiency of the employees
④ the work done per month
A.②③ B.①② C.①④ D.③④
13. What does the government’s research on the four-day working week probably reveal?
A. Some workers may become lazy.
B. The policy doesn’t suit all industries.
C. The four-day working week won’t work.
D. Many employers don’t approve of the trial.
14. How did Tammy Barker deal with the concern about the policy?
A. By making plans for each of the employees.
B. By dividing all the employees into different teams.
C. By helping every employee get satisfaction from the work.
D. By encouraging every employee to be responsible for their part.
15. What’s Jarrod Haar’s attitude towards the four-day working week?
A. Ambiguous. B. Concerned. C. Approving. D. Negative. .
答案12-15ABDC
Perpetual Guardian, a New Zealand financial services company, switched its 240 staff from a five-day to a four-day week and maintained their pay. Productivity increased in the four days when they worked, so there was no drop in the total amount of work done, a study of the trial released on Tuesday revealed. The trial was monitored by academics at the University of Auckland and the Auckland University of Technology. The eight-week experiment was closely watched by employers and policymakers around the world. “This is an idea whose time has come,” said Andrew Barnes, Perpetual Guardian’s founder. “We need to get more companies to give it a go.”
The government has conducted a study of the possibility of four，day weeks. However, research points to the complexity of achieving productivity gains in major industries such as retail (零售），where being present is a key part of the job. Smaller companies experimenting with four-day working weeks have found performance was better in the first few weeks as excitement about the project took hold, before falling slightly. “The biggest concern is ensuring that the foll-time introduction of the policy doesn’t lead to self-satisfaction, as there is a risk that people’s productivity will slip back,” said Tammy Barker, a branch manager who was part of the trial. “Therefore， we’ve spent a lot of time making sure every person in every team has their own plan as to how they’re going to maintain and even improve productivity.” According to Jarrod Haar，a professor of human resource management at the Auckland University of Technology, significantly lower job stress was reported with four-day working weeks. “Beyond wellbeing, employees reported their teams were stronger and functioned better together, more satisfied with their jobs, more engaged, and that they felt their work had greater meaning,” he said. “It is really a great way to make employees be more committed to the organization and less likely to look elsewhere for a job.”
12. What changes took place in Perpetual Guardian during the experiment?
① the length of daily working hours
② the amount of pay per day
③the efficiency of the employees
④ the work done per month
A.②③ B.①② C.①④ D.③④
13. What does the government’s research on the four-day working week probably reveal?
A. Some workers may become lazy.
B. The policy doesn’t suit all industries.
C. The four-day working week won’t work.
D. Many employers don’t approve of the trial.
14. How did Tammy Barker deal with the concern about the policy?
A. By making plans for each of the employees.
B. By dividing all the employees into different teams.
C. By helping every employee get satisfaction from the work.
D. By encouraging every employee to be responsible for their part.
15. What’s Jarrod Haar’s attitude towards the four-day working week?
A. Ambiguous. B. Concerned. C. Approving. D. Negative. .
答案12-15ABDC
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