I do not yet understand the details on this:
It is the latest example of a growing global movement to experiment with the concept of a four-day workweek.
Source: Microsoft Japan tested the four-day workweek. Productivity jumped 40 percent. – The Washington Post
It seems that for some jobs, they find many workers get the same – or more work done – in 4 (apparently) regular day shifts – or in 6 hours instead of 8-hour days.
I can see this in some professional jobs where shorter hours may encourage workers to work more efficiently, fewer meetings, less time wasted on hallway chatter. (Why are workers being inefficient now?)
There are other jobs where getting the same or more done in less time seems unlikely. Think of Starbucks – can they push through customers 25% faster if they cut from 8 hours to 6 hours? Not without changing a great many things in their workplace. Similarly, can your grocery store push through customers 25% faster?
Would this lead to frustration between workers who can get the same or more done in 4 days versus workers whose work does not enable an increase in productivity?
With a labor shortage, is this a benefit or a hindrance? Will it be easier to hire workers for 6 hours, or 4 days, versus 8 hours or 5 days/week?
