Buckaroo Leather is one business that has not only been bucking the trend and growing through each COVID-19 lockdown in NSW, it has had such a successful six-month trial of a compressed four-day work week for its production workers it extended it to 12 months and is now looking to introduce it permanently.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The four day week is one of the reasons why word has spread about Buckaroo being a good place to work. As a result the business located in the former King Gee site at Bellambi had more than 200 people apply for new positions advertised last week.
Chief executive Tanya Van Der Water said the production team were really enjoying working from Monday to Thursday and then having a long weekend every week. Each employee's 38 hours are compressed into four days and she is eager to show a four day week in manufacturing can and does work.
"Our unprecedented growth over the last year has meant our 50 production staff have enjoyed the positive change in working conditions," Ms Van Der Water said.
"As an employer we have seen significant benefits including a change in attendance behaviour. For us it has stimulated production and actually created greater efficiencies and output. And it is having a positive psychological impact."
Because work energy is being concentrated over four days instead of five Ms Van Der Water said energy levels were a lot higher. She said employees were also happier because the four day week provided a better work/life balance and the encouraged positive lifestyle choices. She said many parents in the team told her it had been a real game changer for them.
"We are using our trial as a case to take to Industry NSW," she said.
Ms Van Der Water said there was little resistance to the idea when she first raised it late last year.
"Sick days have definitely gone down. And people are now using their leave in a different way."
The dispatch team still distributes products to the international and domestic market on a Friday. Both have kept growing through COVID-19.
"Our executive team still regularly do a five day week. This trial was a test to see the impact of a four day week on production output. We also measured things like wastage which has dropped because concentration levels have increased. We are able to see now our output over the four days is definitely greater than it was over the five."
Ms Van Der Water said during the hiring process people were really blown away when they discovered they could have a full time job over a four day week.
"Which is the reason why when we put out a job ad out on Friday we had over 200 people apply," she said.
"It is definitely the thing that seals the deal."
"We presently have half a dozen positions from the senior executive level right through to the production team. Our growth has resulted in us looking at how the business is structured so we can gear up for more orders from Australia and overseas."
Ms Van Der Water said the business has kept growing through the pandemic because of the construction industry. She said each time a lockdown is announced there is an immediate spike in sales.
"There is a real emphasis on keeping construction going," she said.
"It is providing power to a lot of economies. They really want to keep development and infrastructure builds going. And that is the industry we support. We are a specialist in tool belts and globally there is red hot demand for our product from tradies.
Online demand is particularly growing internationally and Buckaroo has just secured a large retailer to distribute its product in Europe.
The production team makes up about 85 per cent of the Buckaroo workforce. They work in masks, have regular temperature checks and sign in and out each day with a QR code.
We depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.
Sign up for breaking news emails below...
Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
