Medibank finds success in four-day workweek trial

Medibank believes it’s on the right track with its four-day workweek trial so far showing “transformative potential” as the health insurer aims to revamp the workplace.

Results seen so far include employee satisfaction rising 4.9 percent, motivation up 3.1 percent and staff engagement increasing 7.9 percent.

Overall employee health has risen 13 percent covering a 17.6 drop in unhealthily eating, 18.6 percent decline in unsettled sleep and a 20 percent increase in light exercise.

Workplace and family tensions have also improved with a 29.6 percent drop in stress from participants and 6.4 per cent boost in resiliency. 

The workplace trial currently underway at Medibank is in partnership with the Health and Wellbeing Research Unit (HoWRU) of Macquarie University's Business School.

It’s built on the 100:80:100 model, whereby employees maintain 100 percent of their pay, working hours cut to 80 percent and maintaining 100 percent productivity.

The trial launched in October with 250 Medibank employees participating in the event.

The major health insurer has been working through a six-month four-day workweek pilot and forms one of its three-year partnerships with Macquarie University designed to rethink work hours.

With final results set to be released this September, so far participating Medibank employees are more satisfied and motivated plus productivity remains unchanged and participants’ health has improved.

Part of the methodology includes all participants taking part in surveys and all metrics gathered evaluated by HoWRU to shape Medibank’s next steps.

Director of HoWRU, Professor Rebecca Mitchell said, “The midpoint survey unveiled substantial improvements across a spectrum of metrics related to employee attitudes, behaviours and health outcomes and productivity remained stable, highlighting the positive impact of the four-day working week experiment at Medibank.”

“These findings affirm the transformative potential of the four-day working week experiment in fostering a healthier, more engaged and more resilient workforce.

“The substantial reductions in job stress, turnover intentions and work-to-family conflict, alongside improvements in physical health and workplace support, position Medibank as a leader in innovative work arrangements,” Mitchell said.

Medibank Group lead people, spaces and sustainability, Kylie Bishop said, “Our hypothesis is that by changing our ways of working and reducing unproductive and low-value work, we can create capacity for people to do things that bring them joy.

“As a result, they will be happier and healthier, and absenteeism and employee retention will improve.

Bishop explained that what these results show “is that we’re on the right track.”

“We’re only halfway through the initial pilot, and there is still a lot to learn, but we’re showing that we can achieve our business objectives and see positive shifts in the health and wellbeing of our people,” Bishop said.

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