Four-day work week means more free time — but that doesn't guarantee you can put your feet up
5 years, 2 months ago

Four-day work week means more free time — but that doesn't guarantee you can put your feet up

ABC  

"We should work to live, not live to work," declared Britain's shadow chancellor John McDonnell last month, as he announced the British Labour Party would reduce the standard working week to 32 hours, without loss of pay, within 10 years of winning office. Reducing working time — the time one has to work to keep 'body and soul alive' — is thus a valuable ethical objective." Mr Skidelsky's argument for the ethical desirability of working fewer hours is essentially this: people are generally happier when spending time on what they want to do, rather than on what they have to do to earn an income less time spent on work, and more free time, will thus promote happiness promoting happiness is ethically desirable, so it is ethically desirable to reduce the number of hours a person has to work. The issue of distribution There is an argument shorter working hours are ethically compelling for precisely this reason: they correct an injustice arising from the unequal distribution of free time. Men enjoy a larger share of socially available free time, because women spend more time outside paid work on duties related to child rearing and care giving.

Work Free Time Free Hours More Time Working Argument Working Hours Less Time More Free Time Common Goods Ethical Desirability Skidelsky  ethically  guarantee  fourday  means  goods  common  week  working  free  doesnt  feet  hours  spent  work  argument  fewer

History of this topic

Chidambaram Pitches For 4-Day Workweek Amid Debate Over Narayan Murthy's 70-Hour Workweek Demand
2 weeks, 5 days ago

Chidambaram Pitches For 4-Day Workweek Amid Debate Over Narayan Murthy's 70-Hour Workweek Demand

ABP News  

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram has demanded a four-day workweek for a better work-life balance. This comes amid a debate over Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy's demand for a six-day working week. 12… https://t.co/EOOer6AgnK — Karti P Chidambaram December 22, 2024 "When PM Modi is working that hard, the only way to show our appreciation for what's happening around us is by …

Four-day work week: An idea whose time is all but sure to come
4 weeks, 1 day ago

Four-day work week: An idea whose time is all but sure to come

Live Mint  

In the old days, when a formal job usually meant a sarkari one, work flexibility meant something else. This week, the administration of Tokyo said that from April next year, it would give its staff the option of a four-day work week, with a full three days off. “We will review work styles," said the city’s governor Yuriko Koike, “with …

Four-day working week under Labour: How it could work and who is supporting it
2 months, 1 week ago

Four-day working week under Labour: How it could work and who is supporting it

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. But, speaking to LBC, she added that flexible working was …

There’s nothing to fear from the four day week – and employers know it
4 months, 1 week ago

There’s nothing to fear from the four day week – and employers know it

The Independent  

Opponents of the government’s proposals for a four-day week – part of its “Make Work Pay” initiative, which will be unveiled in Parliament this autumn – have been busy conjuring up images of France. First of all, it’s worth pointing out that the government has flatly denied any plans to impose plans for a four-day week upon employers – or …

A four-day working week would help those who need it most – women
4 months, 1 week ago

A four-day working week would help those who need it most – women

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Under new …

Four-day week can boost productivity, Labour insists
4 months, 1 week ago

Four-day week can boost productivity, Labour insists

The Telegraph  

A four-day week can boost productivity, a Labour minister has insisted after a business backlash over the proposals. Baroness Smith, the education minister, said allowing employees to work a week’s worth of hours in four days rather than five could help parents get back into work. Lady Smith, a minister in the New Labour years who returned to the frontbench …

A four-day work week won't be on the horizon for decades
8 months, 4 weeks ago

A four-day work week won't be on the horizon for decades

Live Mint  

Billionaires and Senator Bernie Sanders agree on at least one thing: They see a four-day work week in America’s future. Some big technological innovations promise to make people more productive, but a four-day work week will not be the norm anytime soon. The Sanders bill also stipulates that employers can’t reduce pay if people work fewer hours as a result, …

Column: The eight-hour workday was the paramount goal of unions in the 1800s. Is the four-day workweek next?
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Column: The eight-hour workday was the paramount goal of unions in the 1800s. Is the four-day workweek next?

LA Times  

United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain testified to a Senate committee on March 14 that a four-day workweek would benefit his members and millions of other workers. They say, ‘I wish I had more time.’ — United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain Are you surprised that big employers would fight a shorter workweek for their employees? They always say it’s …

4-day working week: How does it work and could we see it in our lifetimes?
10 months, 2 weeks ago

4-day working week: How does it work and could we see it in our lifetimes?

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Most of the …

Editorial: This Labor Day, work-life balance is on the table
1 year, 4 months ago

Editorial: This Labor Day, work-life balance is on the table

LA Times  

The United Auto Workers union authorized a strike later this month if it can’t reach deals with the Big Three Detroit carmakers, General Motors, Ford Motor and Stellantis. “If COVID did anything, it made people reflect on what’s important in life, and it sure as hell isn’t living in a factory,” UAW President Shawn Fain said in a video update …

Opinion: Can a four-day workweek really work? Many companies have already learned the answer
1 year, 7 months ago

Opinion: Can a four-day workweek really work? Many companies have already learned the answer

LA Times  

In 1940, Congress amended the Fair Labor Standards Act to limit the standard workweek to 40 hours, with any additional hours eligible for overtime. In Europe, national and regional governments have pilot four-day week programs in progress, and the United Arab Emirates has shifted public-sector employees to a 4 ½-day schedule. Dr. Adam Husney, the chief executive of the health …

Is the four-day week the future of work?
1 year, 7 months ago

Is the four-day week the future of work?

Al Jazeera  

Trials have shown that more flexible work hours benefit employees and companies. It’s possible to work fewer hours and keep the same level of pay and productivity, according to results of the largest-ever trial of a four-day workweek held in the United Kingdom. Traditional work routines were upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, and there’s increased demand for more flexible schedules. …

Is a four-day workweek as good as it sounds? California employees share what it’s really like
1 year, 7 months ago

Is a four-day workweek as good as it sounds? California employees share what it’s really like

LA Times  

It’s after noon on a recent Wednesday, and the kitchen and patio at ThredUp’s Oakland headquarters are packed. “I think we’re going to see more interest in this from the policy side, as well as from employers that are looking for ways to keep workers, to attract new workers and to keep their workers healthier.” The snacks are free, but …

Britons expect four-day week to be ‘the norm’ by 2030, new poll shows
1 year, 8 months ago

Britons expect four-day week to be ‘the norm’ by 2030, new poll shows

The Independent  

A majority of British people expect a four-day week to be the norm in workplaces by 2030, new polling has found. Some 65 per cent of people said they would support the government “exploring the introduction of a four-day working week, with no loss of pay for workers”, with just 10 per cent opposed to the idea. “We have no …

4-day week: 'Too short-staffed to work'
1 year, 9 months ago

4-day week: 'Too short-staffed to work'

BBC  

Four-day workweek trial: The firms where it didn’t work Getty Images Nearly all firms that took part in the UK pilot are keeping reduced hours – but not all are fully embracing the new set-up. Getty Images Many businesses need to operate five days per week, which means it's harder to reduce staff days, or they need to hire extra …

Four-day working week in India? Experts optimistic after UK’s successful trial
1 year, 10 months ago

Four-day working week in India? Experts optimistic after UK’s successful trial

Live Mint  

The four-day workweek debate is back! Six months ago, Britain kickstarted an experiment in over 60 companies allowing almost 3,000 employees to work one day less per week while retaining the same salary. Meanwhile, the idea 4-day working week is gradually gaining popularity in India as well. Ujjal De, Founder and CEO of KarmaV said that the success of a …

4-Day Week Trial in UK: What 'Largest Study' Says on Productivity, Work Stress
1 year, 10 months ago

4-Day Week Trial in UK: What 'Largest Study' Says on Productivity, Work Stress

The Quint  

Largest study of its kind: The study involved 2,900 workers from 61 companies across industries in the UK. What the study found: Compared to before the trials, of all the participants that were interviewed, 71 percent reported less burnout 39 percent reported less stress 48 percent found their job more satisfying 62 percent said they had better work and social …

World’s largest four-day work week trial finds few are going back
1 year, 10 months ago

World’s largest four-day work week trial finds few are going back

Live Mint  

The largest-ever trial of the four-day work week found that most UK companies participating are not returning to the five-day standard, and a third are ready to make that change permanent. Most companies adopted four-day schedules, although a small percentage opted for shorter five-day arrangements or, in the case of seasonal businesses like restaurants, an annualized four-day week model in …

4-day workweek trial: Shorter hours, happier employees
1 year, 10 months ago

4-day workweek trial: Shorter hours, happier employees

Associated Press  

LONDON — Work less, get more. A trial of a four-day workweek in Britain, billed as the world’s largest, has found that an overwhelming majority of the 61 companies that participated from June to December will keep going with the shorter hours and that most employees were less stressed and had better work-life balance. “We feel really encouraged by the …

Four-day working week really DOES work, major six-month trial across 61 UK companies reveals
1 year, 10 months ago

Four-day working week really DOES work, major six-month trial across 61 UK companies reveals

Daily Mail  

Bosses even benefitted from increased revenue while productivity was constant The results we've all been waiting for are finally in - a four-day working week really does work, according to a major new study. A four-day working week results in reducing the number of staff quitting their jobs and taking sick days, a new study has found Change in participating …

We're talking about the 4-day workweek — again. Is it a mirage or reality?
1 year, 10 months ago

We're talking about the 4-day workweek — again. Is it a mirage or reality?

NPR  

We're talking about the 4-day workweek — again. Enlarge this image toggle caption Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Welcome to a new NPR series where we spotlight the people and things making headlines — and the stories behind them. A 2022 Ernst & Young study into the "future of work" surveyed more than 500 U.S. C-suite and business leaders …

Four-day workweek trial in UK: Shorter hours, happier employees
1 year, 10 months ago

Four-day workweek trial in UK: Shorter hours, happier employees

Al Jazeera  

Findings show companies’ reported revenue largely stayed the same, or even rose, over the June to December trial period. That was all while revenue reported by the participating companies largely stayed the same over the June to December trial period and even grew compared with the same six months a year earlier, according to the findings released this week. “We …

The climate benefits of a four-day workweek
1 year, 10 months ago

The climate benefits of a four-day workweek

BBC  

The climate benefits of a four-day workweek Steve Prezant/Alamy There's some promising evidence that a three-day weekend could help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions There's growing interest in the benefits of a four-day workweek for productivity and employee wellbeing, but the picture is more complicated when it comes to climate change. "Although climate benefits are the most challenging thing to …

Who gets a four-day workweek?
1 year, 11 months ago

Who gets a four-day workweek?

BBC  

How widespread could the four-day workweek really be? But such cultures can change, believes O’Connor: “We're starting to see examples of law firms moving to four-day weeks by switching from billing by the hour to billing by project value, or by reducing their non-billable overheads so that their teams are more focused on client work.” The viability of this shortened …

Four-day work week could help avoid burnout and boost productivity
1 year, 11 months ago

Four-day work week could help avoid burnout and boost productivity

Live Mint  

Boosting flexibility at work through changes such as a four-day week may both raise productivity and reverse the growing trend toward burnout, according to a panel of experts at the World Economic Forum in Davos. A four-day workweek for everyone may also help to make women, who often work two or three days, more financially independent and lead men to …

Will a 4-day work week be successful in India? Here is what experts think
2 years, 1 month ago

Will a 4-day work week be successful in India? Here is what experts think

Live Mint  

The four-day workweek seems a novel idea. But in a country like India where a lot of organizations are yet to accept the 5-day week format, a 4-day workweek sounds like a distant dream. Experts have weighed-in the pros and cons 4-day workweek work in India Sushma Sharma, Director - Career Success Solutions, LaunchMyCareer said workplace happiness is a combination …

Will a four-day workweek work in India?
2 years, 2 months ago

Will a four-day workweek work in India?

India Today  

Professionals can choose from a variety of flexible working choices whether looking for a job or trying to adjust at their current position. An employment schedule known as a ‘four-day workweek’ sees full-time employees working four days each week as opposed to the customary five. PROS OF WORKING FOUR DAYS PER WEEK This kind of work schedule adoption frequently has …

Why 4-day workweeks may be better for your career and health
2 years, 3 months ago

Why 4-day workweeks may be better for your career and health

LA Times  

When employees can slash their traditional five-day workweek to four days, they tend to allocate their new free time to sleep, a pilot program shows, leading to improvement in a variety of well-being and productivity measures, such as life satisfaction and work-family balance. Workers who shifted to 32-hour workweeks logged 7.58 hours per night of sleep, nearly a full hour …

Five reasons why the four-day week won’t work
2 years, 5 months ago

Five reasons why the four-day week won’t work

Live Mint  

The four-day working week continues to gain momentum, with pilots taking place in the UK, Ireland, US, Canada and Australia. These schemes, which are being driven by non-profit coalition 4 Day Week Global, are supposed to “benefit everyone” by raising workers’ productivity, improving work-life balance and happiness levels, and reducing unemployment. To even maintain these productivity levels while working four …

The five-day work week might be fading away
2 years, 5 months ago

The five-day work week might be fading away

The Hindu  

A three-day weekend is not beyond anyone’s dream, and it may soon be a reality. Most trials of a four-day work week seem to increase or at least keep constant worker productivity. On the four-day work week, the new codes stipulate the requirement of a minimum of 48 hours per week; hence the employee will have to work for 12 …

Nearly three-quarters of employees support a four-day working week, says study
2 years, 5 months ago

Nearly three-quarters of employees support a four-day working week, says study

The Independent  

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about …

The case for a shorter workday
2 years, 6 months ago

The case for a shorter workday

BBC  

The case for a shorter workday Getty Images There’s a lot of talk about four-day workweeks – but could shorter workdays be a better approach? “And for those businesses, it may be easier and more convenient to shorten the workday.” In theory, a shortened workday may seem fanciful – after all, employers want to get as much of workers’ time …

Are 4-day workweeks, flexible hours the future of full-time?
2 years, 6 months ago

Are 4-day workweeks, flexible hours the future of full-time?

Live Mint  

A four-day workweek sounds appealing to workers. Meanwhile, 4 Day Week Global, a nonprofit foundation associated with Oxford University, is piloting a six-month trial of a four-day workweek “with no loss of pay for employees.” More than three dozen companies in the U.S. and Canada are participating in the experiment, with a total of 150 organizations and 7,000 employees involved …

Are 4-day workweeks, flexible hours the future of full-time?
2 years, 6 months ago

Are 4-day workweeks, flexible hours the future of full-time?

Associated Press  

A four-day workweek sounds appealing to workers. Meanwhile, 4 Day Week Global, a nonprofit foundation associated with Oxford University, is piloting a six-month trial of a four-day workweek “with no loss of pay for employees.” More than three dozen companies in the U.S. and Canada are participating in the experiment, with a total of 150 organizations and 7,000 employees involved …

Four-day work week, lesser take-home salary: The changes under the new labour laws
2 years, 6 months ago

Four-day work week, lesser take-home salary: The changes under the new labour laws

Firstpost  

If the new labour codes are implemented from 1 July, the work culture in India is likely to change. Four-day work week The proposed new labour codes provide companies with the flexibility of having four working days instead of five or six. Leaves As per the new labour codes, the eligibility requirement for leaves has been reduced from 240 working …

Belgium gives workers the right to request a four-day week
2 years, 10 months ago

Belgium gives workers the right to request a four-day week

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Belgian workers have been given …

Is the four-day week too good to be true?
2 years, 11 months ago

Is the four-day week too good to be true?

The Telegraph  

Watching closely is a couple some 11,000 miles away in a penthouse apartment in Auckland. Together, Andrew Barnes and Charlotte Lockhart run 4 Day Week Global, a not-for-profit campaign to encourage the world to move to the shorter working model – and they won’t rest until we’re all resting three days a week. “But there we are…” He is confident …

How the 40-hour work week became the norm
3 years, 2 months ago

How the 40-hour work week became the norm

NPR  

How the 40-hour work week became the norm With the pandemic causing many workers and businesses to rethink our collective relationship with work, several companies are experimenting with a four-day work week. HOROWITZ-GHAZI: By the late 19th century, Hunnicutt says, the workweek begins to shrink to something closer to 60 hours a week for more and more people. He says …

Is a four-day week enough to reduce work stress?
3 years, 3 months ago

Is a four-day week enough to reduce work stress?

The Independent  

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about …

Editorial: What if every week was a four-day workweek?
3 years, 4 months ago

Editorial: What if every week was a four-day workweek?

LA Times  

It’s Labor Day and many workers are enjoying a rare long weekend. There’s a small but growing movement in the United States dedicated to making that happen by encouraging companies to try scaling back work hours while maintaining worker pay. That wasn’t specifically a study of a four-day workweek, as many of the workers just clocked less time on the …

The case for a shorter workweek
3 years, 4 months ago

The case for a shorter workweek

BBC  

The case for a shorter workweek Getty Images More than ever, workers want to work fewer hours, saying they can be just as effective in less time – and happier, too. “It changes the focus from hours worked to productivity – that is, from ‘busy work’ to the right work,” says Rachel Service, CEO of Melbourne-based workplace culture consulting and …

Without careful design, a four-day work week could make inequality worse
3 years, 5 months ago

Without careful design, a four-day work week could make inequality worse

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. With these benefits and challenges in …

The perfect number of hours to work every day? Five
3 years, 6 months ago

The perfect number of hours to work every day? Five

Wired  

When Liverpool marketing agency Agent was asked by the BBC to test a Nordic-style, six-hour working day for a TV programme it jumped at the chance. Inspired by reports of six-hour days in Swedish care homes in 2016, the hope was reduced working hours would lead to new ways of looking after staff wellbeing. People were missing the worst of …

From reducing carbon footprint, to easing pandemic woes, how four-day working week is gaining ground
3 years, 7 months ago

From reducing carbon footprint, to easing pandemic woes, how four-day working week is gaining ground

Firstpost  

The five-day workweek is a solution to a century-old problem of increasing production on assembly lines and boosting consumer activity, but there hasn’t been much improvement in labour productivity in India since 2016 Over 75 percent young Indian workers do not want to return to full-time office work post-pandemic preferring a remote or hybrid model instead, a report found, shortly …

This is what happens when you switch to a four-day working week
3 years, 7 months ago

This is what happens when you switch to a four-day working week

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy After a …

4 Reasons We Should Have 4-Day Workweeks, According To Research
3 years, 8 months ago

4 Reasons We Should Have 4-Day Workweeks, According To Research

Huff Post  

Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images Sen. Bernie Sanders is pushing for shorter work weeks. “What ultimately was lost was just a bunch of bad meetings that people felt obligated to be in.” As a result, The Wanderlust Group made the switch to four-day workweeks permanent. “On average, job postings offering a four-day workweek receive 15% more applications than other job …

How would a four-day work week impact us?
3 years, 11 months ago

How would a four-day work week impact us?

Live Mint  

This week, the Labour Ministry of the government of India announced that under new labour codes, it would allow companies the flexibility of creating a four-day work week, something that global companies like Microsoft have experimented with in certain markets. France has flirted with the four-day, 32-hour work week, and countries like Finland and New Zealand are currently toying with …

Working more doesn't always mean more output, according to these researchers
3 years, 11 months ago

Working more doesn't always mean more output, according to these researchers

ABC  

In many ways, working too much was not a bad problem to have in 2020, when you consider the 1 million Australians who were out of work. Key points: A study by global accountancy software company QuickBooks found a correlation between a shorter work week and higher productivity The authors found Australians work 34.6 hours a week on average, assuming …

Four-day week could help solve Covid economic crisis, say European MPs
4 years, 1 month ago

Four-day week could help solve Covid economic crisis, say European MPs

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The letter, which was also sent to German chancellor Angela Merkel, Spanish prime minister Pedro …

The daily grind led to a four-day week and a new approach to work-life balance
4 years, 3 months ago

The daily grind led to a four-day week and a new approach to work-life balance

ABC  

It was a magical year in Berlin that made urban planner Bryn Davies realise there was more to life than the daily grind. "Ever since we gave our staff Wednesdays off, we've doubled our revenue, tripled our profits, slashed the amount of sick days taken and really improved every metric we measured," she says. "If you think about it, many …

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