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The current system is broken, CEO says, and a successful pilot would help reduce staff stress and attract recruits.
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Grant Thornton to trial 9-day fortnight in March
14 December 2022
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7 minute read
Grant Thornton will trial a nine-day fortnight without reductions in pay from next March in an attempt to reduce staff stress and attract fresh talent.
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The Australian trial, a first for the global network, would ensure offices remained open five days a week so it could provide a full service to clients during normal business hours.
CEO Greg Keith said the scheme could help alleviate some of the problems facing the industry.
“With so many professional services’ workforce reporting increased stress and health issues, we remain convinced the current system is broken,” said Mr Keith. “We will be bold in trying something different as we want a better outcome for our people and our clients.”
“We see an irresistible opportunity to improve quality, client service and our people’s [sic] wellbeing.”
He said the trial would prioritise clients and their expectations but staff would also benefit from the additional time off.
“We will be closely engaging with clients throughout the trial to ensure the quality we deliver and their experience improves as expected,” said Mr Keith.
The firm said that if the six-month trial was successful and all KPIs were met, it would consider a permanent move to a nine-day fortnight or even trial four-day weeks.
The trial reflected its family workplace policies, it said, and would help close the gender gap when it came to childcare and parenting with more flexible work hours allowing more family time.
Grant Thornton is part of a global network that has over 61,700 professionals across 147 countries with the Australian team consisting of over 165 partners and 1,300 staff across offices in Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.
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