DTS will transition to a Four-Day Working Week from the 4th September 2023. Our operational days will now be from Monday to Thursday, with Fridays becoming an additional day off.
“At DTS, following our flexible work practices, our aim was to further evolve and offer a structure that gives our team more personal time away from work.”
The first Friday not worked will be the 8th September 2023.
Below are some questions which you may have.
What is the four-day working week?
The four-day working week is founded on the belief that businesses can increase productivity by reducing working hours and by working smarter.
The approach DTS will be adopting is the “100:80:100” model – which means employees will receive 100 percent of their pay while working 80 percent of their contracted hours, in exchange for a commitment to maintain at least 100 percent productivity.
Why has DTS opted for a four-day work week?
Adopting a four-day work week is a business improvement strategy centred on working smarter rather than longer with significant investment in the well-being of the most important asset to our business – our people.
Over the past two months we have been working closely with flexible working experts ‘The 4-day Week Global’ to fully understand the productivity and wellbeing benefits that the four-day working week will provide for our co-workers, clients and society.
As the job market evolves, many top talents seek alternative work arrangements. Our four-day week initiative positions us to attract and retain these high-performing individuals better.
“As a mother of two, having the time to decompress and reset on Fridays has been invaluable. It helps me to be more present with my family on the weekends and more effective at my job during the workweek. I’m able to prioritize both family and work needs more successfully.”
Will this impact your operating hours?
Yes, we will remain closed on Fridays.
“It seems counterintuitive, but reducing the number of days in our work week has improved the quality of our team’s decision making.”
Is this going to make it harder for me to reach you?
Historically, client interactions on Fridays have been minimal. While initially, there might be moments you wish to reach out on a Friday, please note we won’t be available. Like all changes we are confident that clients will adjust and become comfortable with this change.
There will be periods during the day when our consultants are deeply engaged in work and might be unavailable for immediate contact.
The improved productivity gained from changing our working day processes will be one of the key client benefits.
It is important to note that a proportion of our team already work flexibly or on a part-time basis and we have not encountered any operational problems by providing this flexibility.
Will your four-day week mean projects will be delivered slower and that DTS will take on less work?
No. We believe the opposite will occur. Here is an excellent podcast of the benefits of a four-day week for all stakeholders. It is presented by the Australian ABC.
We have also noticed our ability to attract, employ and retain highly skilled consultants has improved since highlighting that we are moving to a four-day week..
When I joined DTS five years ago we had six consultants, one principal and one senior. We have now grown to eleven, two principal and three senior consultants. Our depth of skills and resources has grown and that will continue.
Do you have concerns regarding our ongoing projects?
This is a major change in how DTS operates. I fully understand that you may have concerns about DTS assisting you in meeting your regulatory requirements.
We have done considerable preparation of our systems and consultants to ensure the change over will be smooth and will have no effect on our important project work, either in quality or time frame.
Where can I find out additional information about a four-day week?
We are working with 4 Day Week Global which has an excellent web site. I am hopeful that some of our clients will follow our progress and see the benefits that are possible with this strategic change in our business.
If you would like to discuss any concerns please give David or Gavin a call on 61 7 3390 8777 or email david@dtsreg.com.au or gavin@dtsreg.com.au.