it’s entirely job dependent, a grocery store worker can’t just decide they will not work one of the days anymore because the store needs to be open. but they work in shifts and different days already.
There will also be white collar jobs that can’t just move to a different schedule, like support needs to be everyday regardless.
and if you are a software engineer there is a good chance you are already working remote and if you are good enough you are only working the days you want to.
“Companies need to produce the same level of work, so they may need to hire and train more people. Would the tax breaks offered be enough to cover these extra expenses? This could cause businesses to really sweat.”
It’s funny how the criticism is basically “But this will create more jobs!”
I also can’t help but notice how her personification of businesses (as things that can “really sweat”) and empathy for them far exceeds the level at which she humanizes workers.
It’s almost like “Mary Elizabeth Elkordy, founder of the remote-based company Elkordy Global Strategies,” has a keen sense for which team she belongs to.
It’s gonna be middle managers and owners criticizing. The former because they add no value, the latter because… oh they add no value either, but they also profit off our work. But they’re afraid their lack of value adding will be discovered.
Then there is me, a professor, who works every day because students do homework on weekends and need help. I figure instead of a 4x10, I am doing a 7x5.
When humans went to a six day work week, the wealthy said it would end civilization.
When we went to a five day work week, they said the same.
Same as when we said overtime needs more pay, women should be paid more, 9 year olds can’t work in coal mines, and basically every other labor law from the past 10,000 years.
And we are more productive than ever due to automation. I bet 2 days would be enough to keep society running. Nothing fancy though. 3 would be enough for economic growth.
Some of the people at my workplace have a 4-day work week… 10 hours a day. Fuck that. I can barely make it through 8. That’s what this will turn into if it gains steam in the U.S. because corporations wouldn’t dare admit that people don’t actually have to work 40 hours a week and still be very productive.
I do 4x10 and it’s a joy - for me. I can work from home when I want and 10 hours flies by when you know you have a 3 day weekend to look forward to at the end. I’m definitely more focused and productive.
I did it for 4 years while my son was very young. I loved it and would return to it if not for school hours. 6am to 4pm worked really well and having 3 days off meant some great family time.
My wife did a 4 day week too and we offset our days so that our son only needed 3 days in daycare during the week.
Keep in mind the typical office commute can be very long. Let’s say 1.5 hours each day (45 minutes there, 45 minutes back.)
8.5 hour day (unpaid 30 min lunch) + 1.5 hour commute = 10 hours from leaving home until arriving home. 5 days a week = 50 hours total for work in a 5 day work week.
10.5 hour day (unpaid 30 minute lunch) + 1.5 hour commute = 12 hours from leaving home until arriving home. 4 days a week = 48 hours total for work in a 4 day work week.
You work less. Odds are with a longer shift you also avoid rush hour on one side of it, so the 10 hour work week loses another hour or two. It’s a BIG win. You get an extra 10 hours of fully conscious time on an extra day of the week which is HUGE for personal hobbies, enjoyment, family time - you name it. For me approaching 40, getting home from work I have almost no energy for personal activities after chores each day. Add on children and you get even less time aside from grinding.
Good news is that the 5 day work week will NEVER go away, so you will always have the choice of working five days and only getting two days off while your buddies take the extra day each week :)
If a ton of people take the 10x4 schedule, then there will just be a new rush hour. And the problem is working 10 hours a day, not working 4 days a week. This isn’t the 19th century. The idea that we even need to work 40 hours a week is playing into the hands of the capitalist oligarchs. They want you to be happy dong 10x4 and not, for example, 8x4 or 6x5. They think the more you work, the more productive you are when that’s utter bullshit and it just wears people out.
If a ton of people take the 10x4 schedule, then there will just be a new rush hour.
If there was a universal “Friday off for everyone” this could be possible but Saturdays and Sundays are work days for a big portion of people. I don’t think it could ever happen, instead you’d just have schedules with coverage. Billy gets Monday off, Sally gets Tuesday off, etc etc.
They want you to be happy dong 10x4 and not, for example, 8x4 or 6x5. The thought of working 6x5 is maddening to me. I GREATLY value full days off and I never take partial days off even though I could easily take 2 hours off a day for several months a year. At least a couple of hours of work a day are bullshit but that’s just my Job, many others have nonstop work where they never get to stop aside from brief break periods which are closely monitored.
I don’t disagree that many jobs could easily be part time to the tune of 20hours/week or even less and be fine but if you’re in any kind of critical role - take almost any job that was in person throughout the pandemic - there’s just no way to not staff people during those hours.
If the idea of happy employees working short shifts or fewer days paid off for companies they would do it because money is #1. I don’t want to kid anyone. The benefit here is employees at effectively no benefit to the employers, so they have zero incentive to do it even if it doesn’t help them whatsoever. Already it’s nearly impossible to accurately gauge performance in countless roles but the idea that an ass isn’t in a chair is a hard habit to break for some people, my boss included.
Oh and I am sure fox is discussing it in good faith and will come to the conclusion that actually, working less is better, because that’s what republicans believe. Sure…
