Boyup Brook council pilots four-day week to lure and keep staff

The Shire of Boyup Brook, a rural council about 260 km south of Perth, began a six-month trial where all full-time office workers compress a standard five-day week into four 9.5-hour days. Leonard Long, the shire’s chief executive, reports the arrangement has already attracted a senior employee who previously declined the role. Staff are split into two groups, each taking either Monday or Friday off, so council services remain uninterrupted.

Administrative officer Jimina Shaw-Sloan says the longer days give her uninterrupted blocks for tasks outside normal opening hours. The WA Local Government Association highlights that similar flexible-working experiments are common among small shires facing recruitment challenges, and experts note the potential productivity gains of a true four-day week.