My son asked me this morning why the work week is 5 days. Why can't it be 3 days, he wanted to know. Hmmmmm. I see his point. Why can't it be 4 days? and not 4 10-hour days, either. Why can't the work week be 32 hours? I could understand if there weren't enough people to do all the work that needs doing. But there is no shortage of people that want work and can't find it.
In talking with people, I notice that folks are universally tired, overburdened, wishing they had more time. Maybe we need a super-union, to lobby for all of us. We don't want to harm productivity, or hurt the bottom line. We just want to be fully functioning human beings. Maybe we would be more productive if we weren't over-stressed. Maybe we would be better to each other.
1 comment:
Perhaps we'll get there, someday. It was less than eighty years ago that the five day work week became the norm. In many Asian countries, the five day work week has only been around for a few years (2003 for Korea).
I think unemployment numbers would have to be higher, and the GNP would have to be lower before someone would seriously consider instituting something like a four-day work week where various portions of the work force would be active on any given day of a week. Then again, the bible states would fight any move to institute a system where companies would be encouraged to schedule employees to work on Sundays.
I'd love a three or four day week. However, I wouldn't want a proportional lowering of my salary, which would probably have to occur at this point. There also don't appear to be tons of part-time skilled geek jobs in my neck of the woods either.
Guess I'll keep buying Powerball tickets.
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