Thebarton-based software design and development agency CodeFish Studio has just transitioned its workforce of 9 staff to a permanent four-day working week, after a successful 3‑month trial. Staff continue to receive their full-time salaries despite the change in working arrangements.
Co-founders Jake and Sim Penzo, brothers who emigrated from Italy in 2012, aren’t excluded from the arrangements — like their staff, they take Friday off too. And although you might think that reduced working hours would bring reduced productivity, it’s actually working remarkably well for the business. Employee satisfaction is up and output is…wait for it…the same as before.
Speaking to Sim this week, it’s clear that CodeFish Studio is one of those organisations that many of us would love to work for. The founders have genuine care for their employees and the business enjoys a strong, inclusive culture that allows staff to thrive.
‘We love our staff like they’re our family — CodeFish Studio is like one big Italian family and we joke about that all the time. We go camping together, work on projects together outside of work. Some of the staff are pitching in to restore a boat at the moment on weekends. In ten years, we’ve only ever had one person leave the business and that was to pursue career growth.
CodeFish Studio specialises in the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT), which is essentially the network-enablement of physical objects (think: internet-enabled fridges), and the work is fun and engaging. CodeFish Studio has been developing software to manage air conditioning systems for a local manufacturer and working with other clients to improve the mining industry, home automation, NDIS and more. There’s plenty of tinkering with gadgets and experimenting with new technologies, with the firm finding a niche installing digital technology in four-wheel drives to enhance the driver experience.
Like many new flexible work measures today, the decision to ‘down tools’ on Fridays was born out of the COVID-19 pandemic. After a disruptive two years, it was clear to Jake and Sim that having their staff physically on-site was more productive than having them work from home. To reward their staff for coming into the office each day, they decided to shut up shop on Fridays, allowing staff to enjoy family time, or to pursue their own projects and ‘side hustles’ (with the blessing of their bosses).
‘Most of our staff have families and kids — in fact, it’s only my brother and I who don’t currently have kids. We wanted to make sure we were creating family-friendly employment for our people, because I know that when I become a Dad, I’m going to want to spend time with my family’.
The decision to go to four-days-a-week came after a deep and honest consultation with the team, a 3‑month trial period, and regular surveys to gauge employee satisfaction along the way. When the founders asked the staff whether they’d prefer a 15% salary increase or have Fridays off, the resounding response was the four-day week. The brothers also took some cues from ‘back home’.
‘Europe is very progressive with flexible working arrangements and we researched what’s happening in northern Europe, in particular. These countries are leading the world with their work practices’.
Four months in and the business results have been very promising — in fact, Jake and Sim have seen no discernible difference in the organisation’s productivity or output, despite reduced hours at the ‘coalface’. When they commenced their four-day working week trial, they decided not to tell their customers, and when they surveyed them later on, the customers had no inkling that CodeFish Studio was closed on Fridays.
‘We’ve had to tighten up our routine from Monday to Thursday so that we can take Friday off — we’ve rationalised some our meetings, we’ve shortened our long lunches (which are an Italian thing), and we’ve instituted a Thursday debrief to ensure that any customer contingencies are covered over the three-day weekend.’
‘But it’s really working. Our people are really happy — even on Mondays — and organisation’s output is as strong as ever’.
CodeFish Studio has recently moved into a spacious industrial warehouse in Thebarton, complete with a mezzanine level, and it now has premises that are befitting its progressive stance towards flexible work. It’s the perfect environment for CodeFish Studio’s expanding team and the organisation’s planned push into industrial design, product development and manufacturing. Jake and Sim hope to put on at least three new staff in the coming months and they are currently looking for User Experience Designers and Javascript Developers.
After humble beginnings in Jake’s bedroom in Italy in 2010, CodeFish Studio is a South Australian business to watch.
CodeFish is a the South Australian Business Chamber Member. Read more about CodeFish Studio on their website.
