Scotland to trial 4-day working week

[MyBadHabitsLeadToYou]

With no consequential pay reduction.

I couldn’t find a thread on this. Apologies if I have missed one.

I’m not sure what to make of this. I already work a four-day week (so that my four year old isn’t in full time nursery) and it’s a nice balance. But sometimes a bit stressful because my workload is heavy so it’s one less day in which to get things done. However, soooo many people are so overworked and stressed and it would be good for mental health etc.

But I’m not entirely clear on how this will work in practice e.g small private businesses. Twitter views are very mixed. How will it benefit retail staff etc, will it only benefit the office workers…

Just wondering what the consensus is.

How on earth could any nursery find the funds to pays its staff for five days when all the parents were only paying for four?

It’s just not possible. How will it work?

It won’t.

And then who will want to do the jobs that can only be done over five or more days? No one that’s who.

Scotland already has the highest unemployment rate in the UK. I really don’t think it’s a good idea to encourage less productivity.

@Whycangirlsbesonasty

It won’t.

……….for every person, in every sector.

@EYProvider

And then who will want to do the jobs that can only be done over five or more days? No one that’s who.

Scotland already has the highest unemployment rate in the UK. I really don’t think it’s a good idea to encourage less productivity.

Why would it mean less productivity?

My employer would possibly stand to benefit as reduced productivity in logistics could well drive the price up even further - it's already happening with drivers earning £50k-£60k and big companies offering large cash incentives (£1k+) for drivers to switch over and work for them. The cost will likely be absorbed by raising the prices for the end buyer/general public.

It's fascinating how easy it is to indoctrinate people so that they make an imposed requirement the centre of their self worth.

Those people so passionately arguing that civilisation will collapse if a 37.5 hour 5 day week is abandoned - you do know that hasn't always been society's working pattern of choice?

@ChaneySays

My employer would possibly stand to benefit as reduced productivity in logistics could well drive the price up even further - it's already happening with drivers earning £50k-£60k and big companies offering large cash incentives (£1k+) for drivers to switch over and work for them. The cost will likely be absorbed by raising the prices for the end buyer/general public.

Yeh, you haven't understood this at all.

What sectors would it work for Pumper? Which sectors can fund this?

@Whycangirlsbesonasty

What sectors would it work for Pumper? Which sectors can fund this?

What do you mean by ‘slacking off’?

Why would it mean less productivity?

Well, it won't if people work hard to ensure that they can do in four days what they would've previously in five. However, will they really do this once it becomes the accepted norm? I think many will just continue as before with less hours put in.

Yeh, you haven't understood this at all.

Please do explain.

@ChaneySays

Why would it mean less productivity?

Well, it won't if people work hard to ensure that they can do in four days what they would've previously in five. However, will they really do this once it becomes the accepted norm? I think many will just continue as before with less hours put in.

Why? Which is it: people need to work a forty hour week or they can easily cut to a 24 hour one?

Why? Which is it: people need to work a forty hour week or they can easily cut to a 24 hour one?

I'm not sure I understand your question.

I'm saying that in spite of just as much work theoretically being possible in less time, many people will continue to be lazy and many companies will continue to be poorly managed and inefficient.

I'm recently retired. My emoyer offered flexible working.
Some staff worked compressed hours. This means the same number of hours per week, for the same pay, but they worked 4 longer days. Think 4 x 10 instead of 5 x 8.
An increasing number of staff requested this, and they didn't all opt for Fridays off! It was up to line managers to ensure enough of their team were in each day when considering requests. Most of these staff had children.

Some other staff chose to cut their hours, so they worked eg 4 x 8 hours instead of 5 x 8 hours, and got paid less (obviously). Most of these staff were approaching retirement.

It can work, for some jobs, at no extra cost to the company (or taxpayer).

*employer

A few middle class people in office jobs are going to get a day off. Exciting times

It can work if people are prepared to take reduced pay for reduced hours, but not if they want full pay for reduced hours.

@Whycangirlsbesonasty

It can work if people are prepared to take reduced pay for reduced hours, but not if they want full pay for reduced hours.

Why?

What do you mean by ‘slacking off’?

@Whycangirlsbesonasty

That’s what the whole policy is about though. Dave worked a 35 hour week and was paid £30k. Dave now works 28 hours a week and is still paid £30k. The only way this isn’t 25% more expensive for whoever pays Dave is if Dave was slacking off.

Not necessarily slacking off but deluged by bureaucracy. How often have you had to attend a meeting that could’ve been an email or had emails about emails? This kind of working pattern discourages that and discourages the top heavy inefficient styles of management.

@SofiaMichelle

Jesus wept.

Is there no end to what The SNP will try to do to bribe the population into voting for independence.

It's completely and utterly unaffordable. Scotland is already subsidised by England due tho the Barnett formula.

I sincerely hope they do gain independence before they sink the entire UK.

This 1000000 times. I'm off to England if they get in!

@FuckPilledLatteplus

A few middle class people in office jobs are going to get a day off. Exciting times

Basically. 😂

@legoriakelne

It's fascinating how easy it is to indoctrinate people so that they make an imposed requirement the centre of their self worth.

Those people so passionately arguing that civilisation will collapse if a 37.5 hour 5 day week is abandoned - you do know that hasn't always been society's working pattern of choice?

Of course - a 6 day week used to be the norm until people complained. And our working hours have already reduced from historical levels : personal.lse.ac.uk/minns/Huberman_Minns_EEH_2007.pdf

@EYProvider

And then who will want to do the jobs that can only be done over five or more days? No one that’s who.

Scotland already has the highest unemployment rate in the UK. I really don’t think it’s a good idea to encourage less productivity.

The job I do likely won’t be one that can be done in 4 days (addictions) but it’s the kind of role that people see as a “calling” and I wouldn’t be moving to a more office based role to have more time for less job satisfaction. I don’t know many who would.

Slacking off is if you have free time in your working day in which you are not working. If that is the case you could easily condense a 5 day working week into 4 days without there being work not performed at the end of those 4 days.

If people aren’t slacking off at any point they cannot do 5 days work in 4 days because there is too much work to do.