One of the biggest trends in EMI's coaching and workshop programs this year has been the question of work schedules and the "40 hour work week" standard.
Some professionals and organizations are comfortable and thrive in the "5 day / 40 hour" work week that has been the standard in the U.S. since the 1930s.
Some believe in or need schedules that include 6 or 7 days per week and maybe more than 40 hours. This can be short-term to get through a busy time - or it can go on for extended periods by preference, financial need, or because of staffing shortages.
Others lean toward fewer than 5 days per week or less than 40 hours. Again this can be short-term to allow better flexibility (for medical or mental/physical health reasons or myriad other life happenings), or it can be a long-term preference for many reasons.
Sometimes the preferences run along generational, gender, socioeconomic, and other lines. In reality, each situation is unique.
Here at EMI we've long advocated for employee flexibility whenever possible paired with great communications and alignment to organizational needs and goals.
Related: While some of the coverage on work hours also touches on whether or not work is more "productive" at higher or lower numbers... EMI is also known for having basically banished the term "productivity" from our lexicon. At least when it comes to talking about living beings and their livelihoods.
The idea of being driven by products per unit of time still seems loaded with almost inhumane machine-age efficiencies and standardization. While there are certainly good and necessary ways to use these measures in business and economic analysis -- the concept of productivity is generally overused in discourses on these subjects.
When asked how we measure success at the end of the day, we usually answer that value and leadership are provided in lots of ways. Some of which are easily measured and some of which are not.
Below we've included a slew of recent links so that you can continue to explore. You'll find more on workplace trends, research on productivity, etc. Please note that while we did NOT search for the "4-day" workweek specifically, it dominated our search results!
We're interested to hear what you think, so drop a line over on our Connect page or get in touch with us any other way you like!
CNBC: People are over the 40-hour workweek (March 2023)
Time: Why 2023 could finally be the year of the 4-day workweek (January 2023)
LA Times: Can a 4-day workweek really work? (June 2023)
ABC News: The 4-day workweek is gaining momentum (June 2023)
MIT: How to implement a 4-day workweek for the whole organization (July 2023)
Forbes: 4-day workweeks (February 2023)
PBS: The costs and benefits of switching to a 4-day workweek (February 2023)
Original post November 5, 2023 updated November 6
Written by Erin (Pink) Mosley
©️ 2023 Erin Mosley, Inc.
Some professionals and organizations are comfortable and thrive in the "5 day / 40 hour" work week that has been the standard in the U.S. since the 1930s.
Some believe in or need schedules that include 6 or 7 days per week and maybe more than 40 hours. This can be short-term to get through a busy time - or it can go on for extended periods by preference, financial need, or because of staffing shortages.
Others lean toward fewer than 5 days per week or less than 40 hours. Again this can be short-term to allow better flexibility (for medical or mental/physical health reasons or myriad other life happenings), or it can be a long-term preference for many reasons.
Sometimes the preferences run along generational, gender, socioeconomic, and other lines. In reality, each situation is unique.
Here at EMI we've long advocated for employee flexibility whenever possible paired with great communications and alignment to organizational needs and goals.
Related: While some of the coverage on work hours also touches on whether or not work is more "productive" at higher or lower numbers... EMI is also known for having basically banished the term "productivity" from our lexicon. At least when it comes to talking about living beings and their livelihoods.
The idea of being driven by products per unit of time still seems loaded with almost inhumane machine-age efficiencies and standardization. While there are certainly good and necessary ways to use these measures in business and economic analysis -- the concept of productivity is generally overused in discourses on these subjects.
When asked how we measure success at the end of the day, we usually answer that value and leadership are provided in lots of ways. Some of which are easily measured and some of which are not.
Below we've included a slew of recent links so that you can continue to explore. You'll find more on workplace trends, research on productivity, etc. Please note that while we did NOT search for the "4-day" workweek specifically, it dominated our search results!
We're interested to hear what you think, so drop a line over on our Connect page or get in touch with us any other way you like!
CNBC: People are over the 40-hour workweek (March 2023)
Time: Why 2023 could finally be the year of the 4-day workweek (January 2023)
LA Times: Can a 4-day workweek really work? (June 2023)
ABC News: The 4-day workweek is gaining momentum (June 2023)
MIT: How to implement a 4-day workweek for the whole organization (July 2023)
Forbes: 4-day workweeks (February 2023)
PBS: The costs and benefits of switching to a 4-day workweek (February 2023)
Original post November 5, 2023 updated November 6
Written by Erin (Pink) Mosley
©️ 2023 Erin Mosley, Inc.
