A groundbreaking report could re-draw the blueprints of what a future tradie’s workday looks like… and the finished product might surprise you.
The first-of-its-kind data unveils how Australia’s hardest workers would renovate their own work schedule if given architectural control to improve work-life balance.
Aussie tradies are no strangers to hard yakka — from the long hours, early starts and physically tiring tasks, it’s no wonder those in construction want to rebuild what being on the tools looks like to ensure more time spent doing the things they love.
In recent years industry leaders and experts have called for a mandated five-day workweek as a way to help construction workers build up a better work-life balance.
However, tradies themselves say it’s instead flexible hours they want when it comes to fixing up their work schedules.
Fixed schedule will slow the job site
The two-year study by Master Builders NSW and the University of Technology Sydney gathered insights from over 1,400 construction workers, warning that mandating a 5-day week is not the quick fix many experts thought it might be.
In fact, forcing a standard 5-day schedule across the industry would bog down projects and pile on costs, especially in high-demand areas given the sector’s round-the-clock operation, constant project deadlines and client demands.
Master Builders NSW Executive Director Brian Seidler says these factors make boosting work-life balance across the construction industry a challenging job.
“Achieving a healthier work-life balance across the industry is far more complex than reducing hours and days worked,” he said.
“This extensive research underpinned by interviews, surveys, and international literature reviews has found that universal claims around the benefits of a 5-day week should be treated with caution.”
Brian says the complex nature of construction work makes renovating the industry into your typical 9-to-5 gig a mistake that could demolish profits, wages and completion times.

“While many people would like to work a 5-day week, few are prepared to pay for it. Few people are willing to work longer hours, take a pay cut, or increase their productivity; businesses and clients are unlikely to share the costs,” he explained.
“Moves to a hard 5-day work week may have unintended consequences, including increased risks, costs and time delays impacting workers, employers and clients.”
While work-life balance is essential to tradies, the study shows workers wouldn’t swap that hard weekend work (and the pay that comes with it) for time off and a lower paycheck.
Tradies choose overtime and extra pay
Build-it spoke to Queensland-based plumber Dylan from Care Tech Plumbing and Gas, who told us he would rather work the odd weekend than earn less – even if it meant having more time to spend with friends and family.
“While there’s an obvious downside to being called into work on a Saturday night, every tradie knows it is the best time to make some serious cash,” he said.
“Sure, I would be keen to grab more beers with the boys or spend it at home with the misses, but at the end of the day, I am happy to work weekends if it’s helping me get ahead.”
Meanwhile, Jamie Wilding, who recently launched his NSW-based pressure cleaning business Wild Wash, says he likes working on weekends as they are the most suitable time for his clients.
“Most customers are at work during the week, and having someone come down on the weekend works far better for their schedule,” he told Build-it.

“I would much rather do a full Saturday or Sunday knowing the books are full than have gaps between jobs in the week or have to turn clients away.”
However, despite most tradies being happy to work on the weekend (as long as their paychecks justify it), more still needs to be done to help build up work-life balance within the industry.
Seidler says making standard work hours more flexible was essential to fix up the industry’s skilled worker shortage, which last week Build-it revealed needed 83,000 more tradies.
“Everyone has a right to a healthy work-life balance. Workplace cultures that provide employees with a work-life balance represent the foundation of a productive and resilient workforce,” he explained.
“We need to attract more workers to the industry, including women, and to do that, we need to make the industry more flexible to suit the diverse needs of the workforce.”
The report suggests construction firms should provide tradies with greater access to flexibility by giving them some choice over when, where and how long they work.
In fact, nearly half of tradies who receive overtime for weekend work now say they wouldn’t prefer their weekends off if it meant missing out on pay.
Seidler says the solution lies in flexible foundations over forced days off, with future tradies likely having the ability to chop and change their schedule to get more time off on the week without losing access to those high-paying weekend overtime jobs.
“Industry participants told us that a healthy work-life balance is most effectively and efficiently achieved by providing people with greater and more equal access to flexibility and control over when, where, how and how long they work,” Mr Seidler said.