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They've been experimenting with shorter work weeks around the globe, and even here in the US, for some time. In one case that I wrote an academic paper on recently, there were some locations trying out a 32-hour work week.
It can be done, and it really doesn't matter what your role or job is. Even nurses and doctors who literally save lives for a living aren't required to dedicate themselves to their patients 24 hours per day.
If you're in a client facing role that needs to be on the clock during "normal business hours" to service said clients, the solution is to divvy up work to different workers on different shifts. What the shorter work weeks and work hours tend to do is create more opportunities for part-time work for those workers who wind up picking up the slack.
The 40 hour work week is an outdated standard laid out in FLSA, a piece of legislation enacted to reduce truly abhorrent working conditions. Henry Ford was one of the first in industry to popularize it on his production lines. Still, it doesn't mean that it can't be improved upon as times change and technology optimizes productivity.
I would gladly take a 20% pay cut if I could work a 4 day work week. It's just not an option in my field but I wish it was.
^ I guess that's the key.
Albeit I would say you shouldn't have to take a pay cut unless your role/productivity is also being decreased. But as mentioned earlier, some people have roles where they are being paid for their time (consultants, hourly workers, etc.) or time IS a factor to how they are compensated.
I get the notion of what they're trying to do here. But it does make me "SMH" when for most salary'd positions, this shouldn't be necessary. In these roles where you can do this, "time" shouldn't even be a measurement anyways in terms of pay/scheduling, etc. Again, you're paid for the body of your work. It shouldn't matter how many hours you put in.
Albeit I would say you shouldn't have to take a pay cut unless your role/productivity is also being decreased. But as mentioned earlier, some people have roles where they are being paid for their time (consultants, hourly workers, etc.) or time IS a factor to how they are compensated.
I get the notion of what they're trying to do here. But it does make me "SMH" when for most salary'd positions, this shouldn't be necessary. In these roles where you can do this, "time" shouldn't even be a measurement anyways in terms of pay/scheduling, etc. Again, you're paid for the body of your work. It shouldn't matter how many hours you put in.
Just my .02.
Yes! I am against hourly pay when it comes to a specific amount of work you are being paid to do. What should it matter to my employer if I'm doing it in two hours or eight hours, as long as it's done well?? I'm salary but still expected to be available 40 hours per week. The thing is, many days I get my work completed in some period of time less than eight hours. I know how much I need to do each day to ensure the weekly load gets finished, so if I'm able to work hard three days and then only put in a couple hours on Thursday and take the rest of the week off, I don't see why I shouldn't be able to do that. I can still answer my phone if needed... but chances are excellent I won't be needed. It's annoying.
Albeit I would say you shouldn't have to take a pay cut unless your role/productivity is also being decreased. But as mentioned earlier, some people have roles where they are being paid for their time (consultants, hourly workers, etc.) or time IS a factor to how they are compensated.
I get the notion of what they're trying to do here. But it does make me "SMH" when for most salary'd positions, this shouldn't be necessary. In these roles where you can do this, "time" shouldn't even be a measurement anyways in terms of pay/scheduling, etc. Again, you're paid for the body of your work. It shouldn't matter how many hours you put in.
Just my .02.
It's also not just time, it's energy.
Nurses do three 12 hour days. But it's real work, and it takes a lot out of them. Many go back to 5 days.
I think that a lot of companies want their workers to just pile on the hours if they are salaried and don't get paid for overtime. And they would expect productivity to be excellent. They probably wouldn't mind having a 4 day week, heck, even a 3 day week. But if their employees are working 60 to 90 hours a week, does the length of the official work week even matter?
I'd take a pay cut to totally eliminate forced overtime. I want to work my scheduled hours and only my scheduled hours and not have to cover other people's absences. I wish compulsory overtime was banned and it had to be voluntary.
A shorter workweek is meaningless if they can force you to come in anyways. I work 60 hours one week and 24 the next, so 42 hours a week and I'm happy with that, but forced overtime means working 7 straight 12 hour days in row. It's obnoxious when with a few policy changes they could have trained backup in place.
I'd take a pay cut to totally eliminate forced overtime. I want to work my scheduled hours and only my scheduled hours and not have to cover other people's absences. I wish compulsory overtime was banned and it had to be voluntary.
A shorter workweek is meaningless if they can force you to come in anyways. I work 60 hours one week and 24 the next, so 42 hours a week and I'm happy with that, but forced overtime means working 7 straight 12 hour days in row. It's obnoxious when with a few policy changes they could have trained backup in place.
Just work for the federal government, while there are positions that do get overtime opportunities, for the most part, you put in your 40-hours and that's it!
And trust me, even if people (gov't. employees) stay 5 minutes later than they should, co-workers tend to make the "volunteer/free time" comment on how you're "donating" to the government.
Getting a job with any public service department (fed/state/municipal) is far easier said than done...
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