In this episode we talk to Chris Miran, Hub Leader, Human Potential at Medibank, an Australian private health insurer and health company.

In a slightly longer episode than usual, we discuss how a company the size of Medibank goes about implementing a 4 day week trial, and some of the rigourous measurement and evaluation they have in place.

Chris talks about how they have adapted the approach across different business units and functions, including customer facing teams, and shares some of the early results they're starting to see.

In this episode we talk to Gemma Lewis, APAC Managing Director at Resources Group, a recruitment company specialising in the market research, insights and analytics, data and strategy space.

Gemma shares some of the trends they are seeing in today's recruitment market in terms of the benefits companies are offering, and what candidates are looking for.

We discuss the wide and wonderful range of different well being, mental health and balance benefits that are being offered, and where 4 day weeks sit in this mix.

In this episode we talk to Alyssa Shaw, Co-Founder and Campaign Director at 4 Day Week Australia, which was set up to help champion the shorter working week cause.

As well as discussing some of the broader benefits, Alyssa talks to some of the many ways that 4 day weeks could help with gender equity, including ensuring those who aren't able to work 5 days a week don't missed out on opportunities at their workplace, re-balancing the income vs. daycare fees equation, and broadening the pool of caregivers (who are currently predominantly female).

In this episode we talk to Elena Kerrigan, Managing Director of Think Productive, a global training consultancy that adopted a 4 day work week all the way back in 2011.

Elena shares her experiences from over a decade of working shorter work weeks, how they've evolved their approach over time, and what it was like implementing it back before anyone else was even thinking about it.

She also shares some of the general productivty and impact thinking that Think Productive help teach, and how it can all lead to a happier more sustainable work life.

Think Productive website: https://thinkproductive.com/

One pager 4DW Recipe for Success: https://thinkproductive.co.uk/our-four-day-week/

Think Productive article on how to fit 5 days into 4: https://thinkproductive.co.uk/why-we-champion-the-4-day-week/  

Free webinar recording – The Secret to a Happy Team: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=copU3e3lOM8&list=PLkNooOwtv4CVZY9iQql5RvDcc5tnhHmth&index=8

In this episode we talk to Lucie Holliday, a Director here at House of Brand, about the benefits of a 4 day week to a working parent of school aged kids.

She discusses how it allows her to engage more in her children's education, and be more present for her family at weekends, having had a day to get stuff done or just take time out for herself on the Friday.

Lucie talks to the differences in the whole team working 4 days compared to when she has worked part time in the past, when others are still working and you can never really switch off.

Plus we discuss the benefits it brings to her work in having more energy for the working week.

In this episode we talk to Phil McParlane, Founder of 4dayweek.io, a job board connecting companies offering roles with shortened work weeks to people who are looking for them.

Phil talks about why he initially set it up, who it's for and how it all works, as well as some of the trends he is seeing.

We talk about some of the cultural differences in terms of work life balance and benefits in different countries, and how that has driven natural skews in where he is seeing both supply and demand, and the radical idea of asking for a reduction in time rather than an increase in salary.

And we discuss some of the potential societal benefits, big and small, of a more widespread shift to a shorter work week.

4dayweek.io website: https://4dayweek.io/

In this episode we talk to Chris Gunn, Co-Founder + Managing Director of LoveGunn, a London-based marketing agency.

We discuss the mindset change needed to disrupt the agency-land norm of long hours and presenteeism, and the productivity benefits of people feeling rejuvenated and refreshed - as Chris says, "you will achieve more" with 4 day weeks in place.

We discuss how LoveGunn are constantly learning and evolving how they approach and implement the four day weeks, setting an example from the top, and keeping it flexible to ensure they can still be there when clients really need them.

LoveGunn website: https://www.lovegunn.co

In this episode we talk to Steve Hunt, founder and CEO of Music Health, a company set up to transform healthcare with music.

We talk to him about using 4 day weeks to help attract talent in a startup environment where you can't afford to offer lots of other benefits or offer top salaries, and convincing investors that by helping hiring better people, it will help him build a better business.

We talk about treating an extra day off a week as a privilege not an entitlement, the challenges of managing it across timezones, and the need to apply it flexibly in a start up environment to allow the business to grow and succeed.

Steve's Tedx Sydney talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s-7j_LDecY&ab_channel=TEDxTalks

Music Health: https://www.musichealth.ai/

In this first full episode, we talk to Debbie Bailey, who has recently taken on a role as Head of Growth at the not for profit organisation 4 Day Week Global.

4 Day Week Global was set up in 2019 to reshape the way we think about work, by moving the conversation away from hours, and onto productivity and output.

In this discussion we talk about the work that 4 Day Week Global is doing, and some of the tools, information and programs that they have available to help businesses who are looking to implement it, including how they help with setting up trials.

And we also discuss some of the common benefits and impacts that they hear from businesses who have shifted to shorter working weeks, and some of the data they have to back this up.

4 Day Week Global's website: https://www.4dayweek.com/

Been hearing all this talk about 4 day work weeks and want to know what all the fuss is about? Maybe you want to implement it in your own business and want to know how it could work for an organisation like yours or in your sector. Or maybe you’ve been pushing your boss to think about it, but need some more evidence or ammunition to help convince them.

This is the 4 day week podcast, a short podcast about shorter work weeks. This podcast is all about helping and encouraging companies to join the movement and make the switch to shorter work weeks.

Every episode we’ll be sharing fresh perspectives on shorter working weeks, by chatting to different people about their experiences, how it works in their company, the benefits they’ve seen and the impact it has had, as well as some of the learnings and challenges they’ve faced.

 The first full episode will be available in early October, with episodes dropping every couple of weeks after that.