Explore how the four-day, 32-hour work week with five days' pay is gaining momentum, offering a transformative solution to combat pandemic-fuelled burnout and stress, while simultaneously enhancing productivity, well-being, and even contributing to addressing the climate crisis. Curated by Storise Studio.
The world of work is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. We're seeing a surge in pandemic-fueled anxiety globally, with over half of US employees reporting high stress levels daily. This is leading to record job quits, averaging four million a month, as people experience profound burnout. In response to this pressing crisis, a growing movement is gaining momentum: the adoption of a four-day, 32-hour work week, crucially, with five days of pay. This isn't an entirely new concept, but the recent global health crisis has "turbocharged" its consideration, prompting employers to realise that rethinking where people work can also lead to rethinking how many days they work.
The compelling case for a four-day week lies in its potential to create a win-win-win scenario for workers, companies, and society at large.
Summary
The four-day week, currently gaining momentum company by company, represents a profound shift in thinking. It moves us away from a "scarcity thinking" mindset – the belief that even rich countries must tighten their belts – towards appreciating the true wealth we possess. This wealth isn't just about financial capital; it encompasses our ingenuity, our compassion, and our shared humanity.
It offers a tangible pathway to improving the quality of life, strengthening our social fabric, and building a more sustainable future by allowing us to collectively choose not to maximise production at all costs, but rather to prioritise well-being and ecological balance. As the three-day weekend spreads, it reinforces the idea that everyone deserves a right to free time.
Unlocking Widespread Benefits
Unlike policies that benefit one party at another's expense, the four-day week offers significant advantages across the board.For Employees:They report being less stressed.They value their jobs more.They experience better lives outside of work.Many become "dramatically happier".It supports self-care and helps manage daily stresses from systemic issues like racism, sexism, and classism.It provides a whole day off for personal activities, which people prefer over fragmented downtime.For Companies:They often see lower staff turnover.They attract a higher-quality applicant pool.Reduced burnout translates to lower...
The Productivity Paradox Solved – Work Reorganisation
One of the most remarkable findings is that in most cases, people are just as productive in four days as they are in five. This isn't magic; it's down to a crucial element: work reorganisation. The "secret sauce" is the willingness of employees to "squeeze all their productivity into four days" in return for the extra day off, meaning they're not necessarily doing less work, but working more efficiently.Key strategies for achieving this include:Cutting out the least productive activities, with...
Global Success Stories
Governments and companies worldwide have been experimenting with shorter hours and no cuts in pay for nearly a decade, yielding remarkable results.Iceland's Triumph: Beginning in 2015, the city of Reykjavik and subsequently the National Government of Iceland piloted 36 and 35-hour weeks, eventually involving over 2,500 employees. The outcomes were impressive: physical and mental stress declined, while work ethic, job satisfaction, work-life balance, and energy levels all improved. Crucially, productivity and service quality either remained the same or got better,...
A Green Dividend – Tackling Climate Change
Beyond the immediate workplace benefits, the four-day week offers a significant contribution to addressing the climate crisis.Reduced Commuting: The most obvious impact is the reduction in daily commutes, leading to fewer vehicle emissions.Decarbonisation Dynamic: If we consistently use productivity growth to reduce working hours by just a couple of percent annually, it can establish a longer-term dynamic of decarbonisation. Research consistently shows that when people are time-stressed, they often opt for faster, more polluting modes of travel and daily life...
Envisioning the Future – Challenges and a New Paradigm
While the widespread benefits are evident, it's also true that making 100% of the work happen in 80% of the time isn't feasible in every single context. Some sectors, like manufacturing (already sped up decades ago), or professions like teaching and flight attendants, might need to slow down rather than intensify. Front-line healthcare workers, especially during a pandemic, fundamentally need to work less, not more, potentially requiring additional staffing as seen in the Swedish case.For the four-day week to become...
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About the Author
Juliet Schor is an American economist and sociologist at Boston College, known for her research on consumer culture, work hours, and sustainable lifestyles. A graduate of Wesleyan University and with a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Massachusetts, she previously taught at Harvard University and has authored several influential books, including the bestsellers The Overworked American and The Overspent American. Schor is also a co-founder of the Center for a New American Dream and has been actively involved in research on the four-day workweek.
More on: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juliet_Schor
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