Working smarter rather than harder has enabled a major Wanganui manufacturing company to ease back production and cut costs without cutting its workforce.
Aramoho-based Axiam Plastics Ltd has achieved that by adopting a four-day working week.
The specialist plastic equipment factory has wiped out the night shift and extended the length of the morning and afternoon shifts to 10-hour working days for its staff. Workers then have a three-day weekend, which starts on Friday.
The change means the Somme Pde plant no longer operates 24 hours a day, five days a week, but instead operates for 20 hours a day, four days a week with more workers on each shift.
The changes to the old shift system mean the company has saved all 48 of its workers' jobs.
Axiam general manager Frank Oskam said the company was down 30 per cent on orders from this time last year, sparking the "belt tightening" initiative.
"We have the same amount of customers; they are just ordering less. Most employers who are finding it hard are having to lay off staff. We've retained the same amount of staff. We've just re-deployed them."
He said the scheme had also saved the company 30 per cent on its energy costs.
The scheme has had mixed reactions from Axiam workers. Long-time employee Dot Te Huia said she preferred the working hours.
"It's not too bad. It's quite good, knowing that Thursday is your last day. I'd rather work a long shift and keep the job than have no job," Mrs Te Huia said.
However, she said after the fourth day working 10-hour shifts, she would get tired.
"For years we've done 6am to 2pm, then all of a sudden we are in a recession and we are doing 6am to 4pm. The afternoon shift guys are finding it hard too, because they finish at 2am."
Fellow worker James Cooper also preferred the new shift hours. "It's good. You've got Friday to do things," he said. Another employee, Grant Angus, said he supported the five-day working week when shifts finished earlier in the day. However, Mr Angus, who is in management, still works five days a week for the business.
"But if I did [work 10 hour shifts, four days a week] I would not like it. I've got kids, I'm a solo dad and working those hours would not work for me," Mr Angus said.
Mr Oskam said there were no plans to make further adjustments.
"At present we are holding our own. I don't think it's going to get any worse."
Because the business has fewer than 50 employees, it was not eligible for the Government's nine-day working fortnight job support scheme.
Axiam's two other Wanganui businesses - Axiam Engineering and Axiam Diecasting have not implemented the Axiam Plastics initiative.
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