4 Day Working Week

[tiggerblue10]

https://metro.co.uk/2022/11/28/four-day-working-week-with-no-loss-in-pay-adopted-by-100-uk-companies-17840223/?ito=article.mweb.share.top.link

I'd love a 4 day working week but doubt I'll ever see that happen where I work.

What are your thoughts on this?

[jno]

I used to work four days (Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday) and loved it. Midweek weekend and Saturday off too. I didn't mind working Sunday. It felt a lot better than the usual 10 to 6 five days in a row.

[tiggerblue10]

Where would that leave those who work part time 4 days?

[New Judge]

My thoughts are that if anybody wonders why inflation is so high and the country is in *** order, here's part of the explanation.

[Milo2]

A relative has been working a 4 day week for quite a while. He works the same hours as he did for 5 days but each day is obviously longer. He doesn’t mind this as he then has a 3 day weekend. He says that it hasn’t affected his productivity.

[davebro]

Most of my working life I worked at least 5 days a week, more often than not 6 if overtime was available & sometimes 7. No wonder we are in a bit of a mess if folks expect to earn a good wage for 4 days. IMV of course!

[tiggerblue10]

I work with a number of people who work compressed hours. They do just over 10hrs per day and they don't all have their non-working day on the same day. Annoying when you need to book meetings.

[jno]

I put in the usual number of hours, just across four days rather than five, so I'm not personally responsible for the economic disaster engulfing the country.

[New Judge]

//I put in the usual number of hours, just across four days rather than five,...//

But the article describes a scheme where workers work reduced hours for no loss of pay, It's that which I was commenting on.

[Electrochem]

I would be delighted if our local council increased their working week to four days!

If it works and the companies involved don't lose money or production falls, then I don't see a problem. There would be disparity for those who can't, which may lead to those jobs becoming empty if people move to a job with a four day week.

[THECORBYLOON]

"Firms backing a four-day week say it’s driving higher productivity, with the same output achieved in fewer hours."

If folk are producing the same output for the same amount of pay, how would that increase inflation?

[New Judge]

//If folk are producing the same output for the same amount of pay, how would that increase inflation?//

Because they are now inactive for 20% of the working week. If they can do in four days what they used to take five to do, it hasn't driven up productivity at all. It simply demonstrates that their productivity previously was not what it should have been. It shows they were only operating at 80% capacity. What their managers should do now that they have discovered that fact is suggest that if they can now do what was previously five days' work in four days, their workload will be increased by 25% to occupy them for the fifth day of their employment.

Low productivity is a major cause of lack of growth and inflation in the UK. Rewarding staff who have been working below capacity by giving them a day off to bring them up to full speed is hardly a way to tackle the problem.

[tomus42]

We could probably sort the economy out by making people work a seven day week for no extra pay.

Either that or just let these companies do what they think is best for themselves and their staff, without moaning about it.

[Untitled]

the trial in microsoft japan actually saw a significant increase in productivity

https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-4-day-work-week-boosts-productivity-2019-11

not necessarily transferrable but certainly worth investigating... i await the trial results with keen interest!

[davebro]

I paid a rare visit to a local retail park yesterday. The place was heaving!. Car parks were 90% full and all the shops seemed busy. Does no-one work any more?
The nation's motto seems to have become "EAT,SLEEP,SHOP"!

[youngmafbog]

Well as I work a daily rate I certainly wont be doing it.

I see one is a Bank, well in all the Banks I have worked at the vast majority work longer than the min they can anyway so I fail to see how loosing a day would be more productive (Apart from some do overdo it and burn out).

[bednobs]

"What their managers should do now that they have discovered that fact is suggest that if they can now do what was previously five days' work in four days, their workload will be increased by 25% to occupy them for the fifth day of their employment." your figures are a bit out there, or has my maths brain gone sideways (as it often does where fractions are concerned) :)
I do a 9DF and like it.

[New Judge]

//...your figures are a bit out there, or has my maths brain gone sideways...//

The latter I would suggest:

100 units of work previously done in five days.

Same 100 units of work (so we're told) now done in four days.

25 units (25% of the weekly total) of work now done per day.

One day now not worked.

25 units can be done in that one day.

Workload can be increased by 25 units (25%).

//I do a 9DF and like it.//

I'm sure you do. But I imagine that is your contracted workload. I worked in a business where engineers worked a 36 hour 5 day week (7h 12m per day). But they had an agreement where they could work 72 hours over a nine day fortnight (8 hrs per day).

What's happening according to this article is that people are effectively being given a day off with no additional hours being worked on the days they do work and no loss of pay. If their overall productivity has increased following this change it suggests they were not fully productive previously and their managers could not have been on top of things.

[Zacs-Master]

‘ Because they are now inactive for 20% of the working week’
Giving them more time to spend their earnings, NJ!