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Why experts say it's time to adopt a 4-day work week | CBC Radio Loaded
The Current


WHY EXPERTS SAY IT'S TIME TO ADOPT A 4-DAY WORK WEEK

The push for a four-day workweek has been gaining momentum in recent years,
primarily in office settings where salaried work is more common. But some hourly
labourers want the same model to apply to their type of work.


'THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S MAGICAL OR NATURAL ABOUT THE 40-HOUR WEEK': PROFESSOR

Mouhamad Rachini · CBC Radio · Posted: Oct 11, 2023 4:17 PM EDT | Last Updated:
October 11, 2023

The push for a four-day workweek has been gaining momentum in recent years,
primarily in office settings where salaried work is more common. But some hourly
labourers want the same model applied to their work. (Pra Chid/Shutterstock)


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100
comments
The Current18:09Is it time to adopt a 32-hour work week?

Some experts say a 32-hour work week is just the next step in the fight for a
better work-life balance.

"There's nothing that's magical or natural about the 40-hour week, but it's been
naturalized to the point that we have difficulty imagining something else," said
Karen Foster, an associate professor of sociology at Dalhousie University in
Halifax.

The movement to a reduced work week has largely gained momentum in office
settings, where salaried work is more common. But some hourly labourers want the
same model to apply to their work.

That issue came up in mid-September, when the labour union United Auto Workers
(UAW) and the three unionized automakers in the United States — Ford Motor
Company, General Motors, and Stellantis — went on strike. 

One of their demands was a shortened work week, in which they'd get paid for
working 40 hours despite only working for 32 hours.


One of labour union United Auto Workers's demands is a shortened work week, in
which workers would be paid as if they worked 40 hours, despite working 32
hours. (Marvin Fong/The Plain Dealer via AP)

Foster says some people may have a hard time imagining getting paid the same
amount of money for less work. But she said the data is on the side of the
workers, not the doubters.

"We have this idea that in order to survive, you should have to work 40 hours a
week," she told The Current's Matt Galloway.

"Actually, what a lot of the movement for the 4-day work week has kind of been
touting is that there are studies that show in particular workplace situations,
you can actually get the same amount of productivity in shorter hours."


DECREASES IN BURNOUT, INCREASE IN WELLNESS

According to Foster, there are several benefits to working four days in a week.

"Workers arrive at work restored. They have less of a need for downtime at
work," she said. "And I think probably many people can identify with this sense
that you get more done when you're kind of under the gun than if you have really
long deadlines."

WATCH: How feasible is a 4-day work week? 


HOW FEASIBLE IS A 4-DAY WORK WEEK? | QUICK QUESTION


1 year ago
Duration 7:57
Praxis PR co-founder Maureen Juniper and SAP Canada’s head of HR for North
America Megan Smith discuss the feasibility of a four-day work week and why some
companies are better positioned to implement reduced working hours than others.

Matt Juniper, co-founder of the Toronto-based Praxis PR, was skeptical of the
viability of a shortened work week in his business. But after looking through
the data supporting shorter work weeks and speaking with his employees, Juniper
decided to give it a 6-month trial.

 * These Canadian companies switched to a 4-day work week. Here's why

 * Rural Ontario municipalities are adopting the 4-day work week. What does it
   take to get others on board?

 * More days off: 4-day week works for Edmonton public relations agency

. 

His company adopted a model which pays 100 per cent of the wages for 80 per cent
of the work, so his employees would be paid 5-day wages while only working four
days in a week.

Juniper's employees work staggered schedules. Some workers are scheduled from
Monday to Thursday while others are in Tuesday to Friday.

"After looking through a lot of the research, the data, and starting to map out
what our 4-day week looked like ... I felt a lot better that this was something
we could jump into without risking what is critical to us, which is client
service," he said.

Juniper said there were a few measurements they were using to make sure the
model was successful, including business results, client satisfaction and
employee satisfaction.

> I think people are kind of coming to the realization that free time is maybe
> as important.-Karen Foster, professor

When the trial run ended in March, Juniper was so impressed by the results that
his company permanently adopted it.

"Just in my discussions with the team, I've noticed a significant improvement in
change across those sort of core metrics and people just feeling a renewed
passion for what we do as communicators," he said.

WATCH: Employers see benefit of 4-day work week 


EMPLOYERS SEEING BENEFITS TO 4-DAY WORK WEEK


2 years ago
Duration 2:04
Workers and employers in Canada have found switching to a four-day work week is
resulting in less stress and fewer sick days without sacrificing productivity,
but it may not be an option for all workers.


IMPORTANCE OF FREE TIME

Foster said the hardest part about introducing a reduced work week is pushing
back against the normalized idea that 40-hour work weeks are what's expected and
working anything less than that means the worker is slacking off.

But the change is made easier if more companies start adopting shorter work
weeks.

"So if the workweek shortens across a number of industries and it kind of
becomes normal that lots of people are only working four days a week, then I
think our attitudes would follow."

LISTEN: Canadians share their thoughts on a 4-day work week 
The Current4:22'The 4-day work week actually allows folks to become more fully
realized human beings'

Thanks in part to how the pandemic impacted work-life balance. Foster says
people have seen just how much better their life is with extra downtime.

"This is something that's been opened up for us, this opportunity to work less,
and there's really nothing else [deterring us] beyond higher wages," she said.

"I think people are kind of coming to the realization that free time is maybe as
important."


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mouhamad Rachini

Journalist

Mouhamad Rachini is a Canadian-Lebanese writer and producer for CBC Radio's
digital team. He's worked for several CBC Radio shows including The Current, Day
6 and Cross Country Checkup. He's particularly passionate about stories from
Muslim and Middle Eastern communities. He also writes about soccer on his
website Between the Sticks. You can reach him at mouhamad.rachini@cbc.ca.

Produced by Brianna Gosse and Liz Hoath.

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