Is it time now to think of reducing the average working week by a fifth and abolishing the sanctity of the weekends once and for all? The way in which the country doen't have the mass manufacturing base we once did, servicing our own needs is primary and job sharing looks to me to be a way forward there are 168 hours a week in which most full time work between 36 and 40 why not cut a fifth off and have people working 29 to 34 hours over a seven day cycle? makes sense too me.
I realise that there would have to be significant adjustments to go to a 4 day week. People would adapt though even if it meant a graduated 1/5th of income it be too awful to have more leisure time even if it was at the expense of quite so much income?
I really do think its time to think tank a new way in which we work. At the moment i see us falling into a bit of a 70's style rut in the country with no manufacturing or facilities based industries to sell off to fuel economic growth. Difficult times ahead.
If the rest of the world were to follow, I'd absolutely go for that.
The industrial revolution was earmarked to ease our burdens and afford us much more leisure time, sadly that message seemed to have got lost along the way. Although to be fair, we no longer send kids down mines and have them risking life and limb in factories....
But...
Once China and perhaps one day Africa ramp up to full production, I fear our working week will become worse. I truly believe the western world has had it damn good for some time, and is heading for a real shock in the not too distant future... when we simply cannot compete with China and Africa, and are forced to relax our working safeguards just to stay in business.
I hope I am wrong, I fear I am not.
Then again, after 5 days of lovemaking, we all get a weak end!
/TheKid
:butting in:
is that the AnalogKid who used to be on DD's several hundred years ago?
:butting out:
I have a 36hr week (officially) though spread throughout the week.
Probably the shortest hours I've ever worked... though feels like the longest I've ever worked when it catches up with me.
as for weekends... well, hens-teeth.
but this is what the area of work demands, and I don't resent it.
lp
It is indeed...
I am he
You must be an old timer like me then, that's some memory you have!
/TheKid
I can't say I'd notice the difference. In 30-odd years working life I don't think I've ever done a standard week. At the moment I work from home and couldn't tell you how many hours I work. I may wake up in the wee small hours and do a few hours until sleepy again. I may sleep in 'til 3pm and then work through until 6 am.
I think doing a standard week with or without the 20% cut in hours would drive me nuts.
Sorry to be a party poooper but I would disagree. I think mentally you need a break from the workplace and ideally 2 full days for me does just that. You need quality time to yourself and your families.
Me personally? I'd rather shove 37 hours into fewer days and have longer off.
I work 8-6 tues and thurs, wed and fri, then I alternate between a monday off one week, and working the next monday between 8- 1pm.
I work a 37.5 hr week, and it suits me to have the full or half day off a week, as i can do things like get to the bank, have a plumber in etc etc.
The longer days mean i can see clients before or after their work hours (albeit only twice a week) so it seems to suit everyone.
I'd say rather than change everyones working week, it would be better to have even more flexibility.
I would quite like shorter hours, but then i would have no money to do anything with the extra time!
maz x
I just want a 36 hour day so I can fit in everything I need to do and then have some sleep as well :cry:
i earn slightly above minimum wage so i cant afford to do less hours and have less pay
its a struggle at times anyway
and i love having 2 days off at the weekend when i know that most my loved ones have all or most of those days off too
At my company we didn't get a payrise one year but to compensate the company reduced our hours and introduced a half day on Fridays allowing us to finish from midday onwards.
To be honest this has turned Friday into a bit of a skive for most, it's certainly got a wind-down feel to it, partly amplified by a relaxed dress code.
It's a great compromise that went down very well with the staff and the next logical extension will be to add an extra hour to each working day Mon-Thursday and not work the Friday at all.
Lateral thinking is what is required but the mentality of some senior management is sadly lacking in more than a few cases as they believe it's an employee perk (even though the hours worked would still be the same and it would also cut the overtime bill slightly).
The reduced energy costs of having a 4 day week would be a major benefit to a company as would the reduction in the traffic volumes for other road users.
Ey Up Lostie,
there is so much to be said on this subject but I am afraid because of short sighted Government policy over the last 20 years or so the working week will get longer and whats more wages will reduce ...hardly the crystalisation of the dream of increased leisure.
We make precious little nowadays so add little value and our population is increasing ...I dont have to do the maths do I :!: :!: :!:
Good post, I have always though the balance was wrong! However, my suggestion would be 2 days at work and 5 days off, though pay rates would remain the same..........nice to dream isn't it!
While we are on with it, wouldn't it be nice if one month a year you got the top figure in your salary, rather than the net one.
Well back to work lol
As someone who has work weird hours, it is great. Time to shop, when there are no masses about. Long relaxing breaks, looking for something/one to do.
...but being trapped on 'shifts' that keep you apart can be a bit miserable.
