Working Harder and Longer is Not Smarter – Why Not 3 Days per Week?
This is an excellent video overviewing research from the University of Melbourne.
My idea has been that people should work part-time at three quarters of the full time wage. That way people can job share, people spend more time with spouses and family and we will see growing social stability. the way things are the social fabric is definitely unravelling. The disconnect emotionally in respect of caring for others is more visible and young people just disconnect. That is sad for them as it disempowers them socially. Social skills are very important for feeling a sense of belonging and shared community.
Business has much to answer for in respect of an unhappy society. More people are working longer. If they are mother’s or primary carers the work never stops for them. I’ve met women who worked all their lives and literally wore their bodies out. Work is not life, it is contribution but it shouldn’t be from the cradle to the grave. We need to be aware that we are here to live a life. We have to balance to have peace and harmony. What is the point of having some people work extraordinarily long hours and others have no work at all. I think Human Resource Director’s have to start to think differently and advise management more courageously and intelligently on literally ‘what works optimally’.
This study makes clear people are not more productive when working more days. Three days is optimum. So how would performance measures be changed to reflect this. Is it not the goal of business to retain staff, surely a happier workforce is more fun to work in rather than people overworking. This is a form of slavery as wages fall the more hours you work (if on salary). I think people are struggling these days to do it all and keep up with bills.
Here is the University of Melbourne study about people over 40 (aging population), although I think it should be across the board.