A health union says the full-time working week should be reduced from 38 hours to 32 hours without a pay cut to improve work-life balance.

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation says workplace laws haven’t kept up with changing times.

“The 38-hour working week was set in consideration of a very different domestic context,” the union wrote in a submission to a federal parliamentary inquiry into work and care.

Assistant professor of organisational behaviour at Bond University, Dr Libby Sander, says greater work flexibility is a trend that’s “going to stick around”.

And for those who can’t work from home, like nurses and midwifes, a reduction in work hours can provide that flexibility.

“If you can’t give people location flexibility, you can give them time flexibility,” she told Ross and Russel.

Press PLAY below to hear why flexible working arrangements are here to stay