The 4-Hour Workday

[Gryffindorian]

Come to think of it, could businesses survive with most of the workforce running at 50% efficiency (as opposed to 100% with people working full-time at eight hours per day)? While it's true that in some workplaces, the work can be completed in a matter of a few hours, it doesn't reflect the circumstances in all work environments. There are down times, and there are also days when you have to work overtime to finish your project, provide additional coverage, etc. What about salaried employees? They don't get paid by the hour. For example, supervisors and managers may have to work a minimum of two hours every day; they could just go home afterwards.

I've often fantasized about a three-day workweek/four-day weekend. I'm not saying it's not doable. Unless I have another source of stable income, it ain't gonna happen.

 

[TheGoodNews]

It's good that progress is being made on raising the minimum wage, at least in some cities in the U.S.. There's even discussion of a living wage. But hopefully there will be some talk about reasonable hours. We've had the 40-hour week in the U.S. for a long time now, at least in principle. And that was only achieved after a hard won struggle by labor, some of whose members wanted an even shorter work schedule.

Other countries have shorter work weeks and are purportedly doing better with them in terms of productivity and well-being of their workers. I don't see why we can't move to at least a 36-hour work week in the U.S.. It would probably be beneficial to both the employees and employers anyway.

 

[RoJoHen]

I think it just depends on the job.

My last job was in an office. I was on salary and expect to work 45 hours every week. Unfortunately, I only had about 20 hours of work to do, so I waste a lot of time.

At my current job I work about 40 hours a week, and I'm usually productive the entire time I'm there.