Chairman of the Senate, Bernie Sanders, announced a new thirty-hour workweek act that could be implemented in 2028. The act will change the traditional 40 hour work week down to 32. This modern approach to standard jobs has already influenced many small businesses; however, the bigger the company, the more elaborate it becomes.
The 4-day work week should not be implemented in companies unless performance levels are exceptional where decreasing labor hours will not negatively impact productivity.
It has been proven countless times that a 4-day work week can provide benefits to not just the employee’s wellbeing, but to the company’s productivity. According to a study of 61 companies conducted by MITSloan Management Review, 39% of employees experienced lower stress levels, 71% experienced less burnout, and 54% found it easier to balance work life. In a significant pool of companies, they found that the employee quality rate went up as each employee felt more at ease and ready to work rather than rushed and burnt out.
Even other countries decided to experiment with the 4-day work week. Euronews found that the 4-day work week was a breakthrough. They found that productivity of work was found in the quality hours instead of longer hours.
The 4-day work week has been shown to bring significant benefits for companies as the extra day can be used to relax, spend time with family, or deep dive into work without interruptions. There is minimal doubt that the 4-day work week could benefit the mental and physical health of individuals. Nevertheless, the businesses themselves must be considered when impacting their labor productivity.
The new proclamation for the workweek act is vague in detail and does not complement the complex industry of the workforce. While a shorter work week sounds relieving to many, the new act should not be installed in common companies. Work quality is not found in the hours except the workplace, and unfortunately, workplaces vary tremendously across the country.
For each company, different demands need to be met, different workloads are flowing, and different policies are in order. These differences will not productively fit the act, as the contrast in employees often determines performance levels which vary for each business.
Work productivity is dependent on the interactions of coworkers, and if they can work together profitably. However, according to a Forbes article, 53% of employees do not look forward to working with coworkers. 38% of employees do not trust their coworkers and 61% do not socialize outside of work with coworkers which could be essential with a shorter week to communicate with coworkers.
Naturally, workplaces vary upon business and some businesses perform at a proficient level qualifying for a shorter but productive work week. However, Bernie Sanders’ act needs to be more specific and complement most of the industry. If businesses were to pay the same for fewer hours and productivity were to decrease, businesses would lose money; thus harming the economy. Therefore, the proposed act should go into more detail about who can go down in hours and what the eligibility will be.
