I was living in Japan as a student when that country was Transitioning from a six day working week to a five day working week. Everyone at my university came in on Saturday mornings to work 1/2 day. The result was the lost decade of growth as explained by Prescott.
I don’t know what was done at 24/7 businesses such as hospitals or how schools and universities will work on four-day weeks. Many parts of the services sectors are prone to Baumol’s disease so they don’t have an ability to increase productivity through higher morale.
Entities that compete with the international market including the tourism sector would find it tough going as well
Suppose(!) an Oz government or IR tribunal, wanted to shift the standard working week to four eight-hour days.
Here’s one possible path:
Reduce standard working week from 38 hours to 35, a demand of the trade union movement that’s been on the books for the last 50 years. With four weeks annual leave and 10 public holidays per year, that implies just over 1600 hours per year (excluding sick leave etc) 1/..
Now move to the four-day, 32 hour week, with the proviso that the full four days are worked in weeks with public holidays. That gives 1536 hours worked in a standard year 2/..
Now shift from four weeks annual leave to two, with the proviso that workers can put in up to eight 5-day weeks during the year and take the time off in an additional two-week block. That brings annual hours back up to 1600 3/…
Thoughts?
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
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