There was something about the pace of life during COVID that I sometimes find myself longing for. It wasn’t the lockdowns or the uncertainty—but rather, the enforced slowness. The collective understanding that we were all navigating something challenging, and that it was okay for life to move more measuredly. Expectations of work were more humane. We knew that people might be sick, or juggling the demands of home, kids and work in ways they’d never had to before.
But as life has gradually sped back up, we’ve felt the pressure returning at full throttle. And while none of us want to go back to lockdowns, there’s something to be said for the time we had to think, to breathe, to allow our minds to wander and connect ideas in new and creative ways.
At Powerhaus, we’re also committed to growth—not just for our business, but for the entire industry. We believe in bringing about broad, sweeping change in the way homes are built. Our Powerhaus app is an industry game-changer, and we’re proud of the work we do. Honestly, it is an exciting, adrenaline-fueled, meaningful adventure that keeps our brains ultra-engaged and our lives rich.
But anyone who’s ever run a small business, created a startup, or been involved in long-term advocacy knows that change comes at a cost. The energetic toll of pushing the boundaries is high. Anxiety, stress, depression are the on the rise –around 13% of Australians experience anxiety. Many of our team have been touched by the tragedy of suicide.
Balancing work with creativity and advocacy
Our culture needs to change. We want to continue creating this change, but we also want to remain balanced, healthy humans while we do it.
That’s why we’ve made the decision to reserve Fridays for a combination of creativity and mental health. This is our way of ensuring that we’re not just burning bright but burning sustainably.
We know this might be challenging, and we apologise for any inconvenience this decision may cause. It is not a decision that we take lightheartedly. But we also believe that this is the future of work, and part of a deeper cultural shift that we need. A future where productivity and well-being aren’t in conflict, but work side-by-side.
A reduced work week may also lead to increased levels of work engagement, higher productivity and creativity. Australian organisations that aspire to improve their employees’ well-being and mental health while minimising absenteeism and burnout should be thinking seriously about the 4-day work week.
University of Queensland’s business school
Our cutting-edge service gets better
We’ve already been trialling the 4-day work week. Creating balance in our services has the by-product that it fuels our creativity. In our slower Friday’s, we spend time problem-solving and connecting. The Powerhaus app was born out of this thinking. Asking the bigger picture questions: how can we make energy efficiency data more accessible? What if we connect up the efficiency of appliances?
The reality is that slowing down 20% of the time is enhancing our creativity and focus.
What can you expect from us?
We’re excited about this new chapter and the possibilities it opens up for both our team and our clients. Together, we can build a better, more sustainable future—not just for the industry, but for ourselves as well.
