Not sure if this concept has permeated to all parts of the world. You work 4 days (32 hours) instead of the traditional 5-day week (40 hours). No drop in pay. Yes, you heard right.

Anecdotally, employees are happier (no sh*t), productivity rate is boosted, less absenteeism, reduce burnout, more willing to stay with the company, profits increase. Sounds too good to be true.

Anyone here have their employer move to this work arrangement? I believe it's more common in Europe(?) & suited to an office job rather than on the factory floor. It's starting with some smaller companies in Australia.


Hypothetical: If you were offered this opportunity which day would you take as your day off work?

 

My company has been doing a policy called "9/80" since a year before the pandemic, where you work 9 hours daily for two weeks and get every other Friday off. Unless you're in anything resembling an internal management position as then you don't qualify.

Guess where I've been my entire time at the company lol. I would kill for a 32-hour work week and three day weekends becoming the norm, I could get so much more shit done on my bottomless list of side projects!

I also would totally take Fridays off.

 

We're still on a 5-day work week, and I really don't see us moving to a 4-day week anytime soon unless the bulk of our customers do the same. And they aren't going to. That being said, the functions I personally perform at work are highly variable in nature and schedule. I routinely have swaths of free time during some weeks...and then make up for it with frequent out-of-town trips that have me working at all hours of the day and night and weekends from one end of the country to the other. I couldn't expect a "normal" work week unless I got a new job. Lol.

 

to be as apolitical as possible every *worker* deserves to work less and get paid more. i would absolutely take this arrangement i have other stuff to do with my life besides work

i live in america where that schedule is super rare and i can’t imagine corporations wanting to pay people more to work less despite productivity being where it’s at. the 5 day/40 hour week was already a compromise bargained by workers back in the day be nice to do it again.

 

I see the idea tossed around now and then. Ironically just a day or so ago I was reading an article about how South Korea wants to go to a 69-hour work week (well, the government wants to, the workforce not so much), so not everybody's on the same page.

My wife is already on a 4-day week at her job, though it's supposed to be ten-hour shifts so still tops out at 40 hours a week. The idea has been floated at my job and management's response was a diplomatically-worded "fat chance."

I'd take Fridays off since that's the day my wife is off. (Or... waaaait a minute... "Sorry, honey, they said I could have any day except Friday." Shhhh...)

 

I read Chick-fil-a was trying it out at certain locations. Of course, fast-food industry and other costumer-service industries that already work in shifts could more easily transition into a 4-day work week. I think most of the rest of us are screwed in that regard. My job is killing off remote work as of April 1st. My position didn’t allow me to work much from home anyway. And, because of my boss, not at all in the last two years. So, that shows you how flexible and innovative they are.

 

I work 30 hours a week, use to do 55, best move ever my life is so much happier, I earn money other ways passive income, eg websites investments that kinda stuff invest to improve your weekly then improve your life

 

Correct me if I am wrong but I read somewhere a while back they did something like this back in the 50s. People worked 3-4 day weeks, still had enough money to buy a house and even found the time to go on vacation. If we can do this it be nice. Today, its easy to afford a phone but owning a house seems more difficult. I'm hoping to pull something like ssjkazer where I can work less. I'm already doing 36 (12 hr night shifts). It's tough because that's all I am offered and it messes up your sleep cycle.

 

My factory runs 24/7 365. There's really nowhere to make that accommodation. I'm indifferent to it, honestly. What I'm NOT indifferent to is is the thought that someone refilling napkin dispensers 20 hours a week should have the same pay as me doing 7 12 hour shifts a week machining engine blocks.

 

I would love to go to a 4 day /10hr work week. Staying a couple extra hours wouldn't be a big deal, especially if I could get off a full extra day. My job is a City position which means Union run so I doubt that's something that can be easily changed.

 

You forget that there is a large swath of people who think they're entitled to spend other people's money. Without doing anything to actually earn it. THAT is what mentality is pushing this. Eventually it has to be paid for, just like every other "free money/free service" scam out there.

 

We've applied it here for more than a year now. Some have it 4 days, others 4 days and a half with the half day is work at home. And yeah, mentally it got better for many people here and doesn't feel as stressful as working full 5 days a week.

 

Why begrudge someone earning same pay for less hours refilling napkin dispensers? Good on him/her.

 

Depends on what they mean by 4 day work week. Actual 4 days or college professor 4 days. College professor 4 days is teach classes monday-thursday, and spend Friday- sunday grading papers an preparing for class the next week. ( they claim there is a day off somewhere, but I've rarely found it)

 

I've always wanted to try it. 10 hr days for 4 days a week. With lunch, I'm at work 9 hours anyways.

I've actually thought I'd want Wednesday as the 3rd day off. This way you never work more than 2 days in a row.

 

You're right, equity of pay should be what we strive for. Let's start by lowering the pay for neurosurgeons to that of a Starbucks Barista...



... unless, of course, you can explain to me how steaming soy milk is somehow on the same skill level or value as repairing brains in which case a raise for the barista.

 

You achieve it generally by working more hours each day. I’ve done it. Working hours over the week went 10/10/10/8 for a 38 hour week. It’s good but 10 hours a day is a long time to be working and not get OT, at least in my industry. Currently and for the last 15 years I’ve been on a 9 day fortnight which is done as a 35 hour week and that’s really good.

 

It obviously isn't but jesus dude it's hard for most people to make ends meet, but if talking like Mr Burns gets you through the day, gets you that hashtag hustle and grindset then good on you.