A four day work week for everyone

[MuchaFriki]

I keep seeing media opinion pieces along the lines of, "Flexible working and maternity time legislation is actually working out badly for women. People not working 5-day weeks get shunted onto a mummy track; employers become if anything more reluctant to invest responsibility in people who are likely to need to take time out for their kids".

Even if flexible hours law is extended to all parents, or all carers, there will still be a disadvantage in the workplace, we're still on the mummy track, no matter how hard we work.

The neatest way to address this would be to lower the standard working week to 28 hours, for everyone.

Okay, there would be a lot of bleat about global competitiveness; but a four-day week would actually increase productivity, decrease unemployment and environmental impact.

Can't think of one good reason not to move to a four-day working week.

Strike-breakers trying to get ahead of the sensible people! That's one good reason.

Sadly, minimum wage is another good reason, as there are jobs which don't pay a breadwinner well, and where does that leave one?

You'd probably do better to campaign to have the Working Time Directive respected without exemptions.....

A 4 day week is for the workshy. The average 37.5hrs is only 22.3% of vthe total hours in a week - hardly being overworked.

Perhaps less time spent on Mumsnet would give you more time for the essentials of life?

I agree.
Most peopel need to work more, not less.

how about we concentrate on enforcing the 37.5hr week?

most people's problems with 'full time' work are not the 37.5hrs a week they're contracted to work but the other hour or two every day that they are expected to stay for!

Pressed 'post' too early.. i have more thoughts

at my work we have:
1 - people who work part time
2 - people who work full time and go home on time
3 - people who stay late more time than not
4 - people who work all the hours yet accomplish nothing (we'll ignore these for the timebeing)

i'd say in terms of attitude the people in goup 3 are valued more than those in groups 1 and 2 but they shouldn't be. people in group 2 are often just better at time management and more efficient.
i think group 3 should be banned.

"Okay, there would be a lot of bleat about global competitiveness; but a four-day week would actually increase productivity, decrease unemployment and environmental impact."

I would like to see your research that backs up that statement.

There are many industries where your proposal would be a disaster for productivity and planning in general. Also, how would everyone adjust to the significantly lower salary that losing a days work each week would mean?

I work in manufacturing, it is an industry that mostly works 24/7. I have to be available on the phone at least at all times because that is the nature of my work. Your proposal would make my job impossible to do, IT would mean financial disaster for my household, ( i am the main income) as well as financial and technical disaster for my employer and clients.
Machinery breakdowns/inexplicable high demand do not run on a schedule.

Instead of advocating people working less, I feel that you should be advocating home based working and job shares as a form of flexible working.
Many people can carry out a portion of their job at home with the aid of a phone, laptop and internet access. I often write reports, set up simulations etc from home.
It is a much less stressful way of working than commuting 9-5 and having to try to workj whilst the usual office distractions are going on.
BT are a company that recognise this, they have many people working from home.
Many sales roles are home based as well, you would usually have 4 days out on the road and 1 day working from home on admin or whatever. A lot of those salepeople ( i have been one so have enough experience to comment) would take their children to and from school that day but still get everything done.
I am far more productive on those occasions I work from home, I am not interrupted, I am comfortable and I can take a sensible break when needed.
In my experience, spending the day in the office is not as productive as I mostly end up working through lunch but getting less done.

Can't think of one good reason not to move to a four-day working week.

Really? Not one?

What about people who are paid hourly, how are they supposed to deal with the drop in income?

I couldn't manage on the drop of income either! I spend lots of money at the weekends, I'm safer in work for 5 days a week! If I have 3 days off and 4 days on, it'd mean less money & more free time to spend!