Credit: Creative Commons
Working Less: The Financialization of Everything
Hannah discusses the new 4 Day Week Global movement.
What would you do if you had one more day off every week?
4 Day Week Global is one of many pilot programs studying the effects of four-day work weeks in a multitude of sectors, with no loss in pay for employees. In September, the program celebrated hitting the halfway point of a six-month trial period involving 70 UK organizations and over 3,000 employees across 30 sectors.
The hypothesis is that workers will be more productive if they’re able to get more rest on time off, addressing the productivity crisis revealed by a 2019 study that ranked the UK bottom in Northwestern Europe in value added towards the economy per hour worked. In the halfway point check-in survey, 88% of respondents stated that the four-day week model is working “well” for their business, 46% say business productivity has maintained the same, 34% say it has slightly improved, and 15% say it has significantly improved. 86% of respondents claim that they would be likely to retain the four-day structure after the trial period.
The British trial period is not a special case. In most similar studies, less burnout reduces health care costs, mistakes, and poor service. Companies report lower turnover and a higher-quality applicant pool. Workers are as, if not more, productive working four-day weeks as opposed to the traditional five, demonstrating a willingness to squeeze productivity into four days in return for an extra cherished day off to spend with loved ones, knock off errands, or indulge in hobbies.
Regarding the issue of value per hour worked, Norwegians and Danes, the Europeans with the shortest hours of work, flaunt astonishing levels of productivity. On the other end of the spectrum, Brits and Italians work far more hours, but contribute far less productivity. Even in the cases of companies that can’t afford to only operate four days a week, the cost of hiring additional employees was offset by lower sick pay and unemployment benefits.
Much of the data clearly suggests that a four-day work week has outstanding benefits on balance sheets and GDPs. But a four-day work week offers a benefit with less tangible value: what if working less could help change our attitudes towards human life from quantitative to qualitative, from defining our worth in terms of our productivity to in terms of — wait for it — how much we enjoy our lives?
In his 1910 volume How to Live on 24 Hours a Day, Arnold Bennett wrote, “But if one cannot arrange that an income of twenty-four hours a day shall exactly cover all proper items of expenditure, one does muddle one’s life entirely. The supply of time, though gloriously regular, is cruelly restricted.” Bennett was ahead of his time in his subtle criticism of our financialization of everything. Working less days, even in a trial period, allows people to step back and ask, “How much time should I actually be devoting to work?”
Productivity culture and the financialization of everything has even changed our ability to spend and enjoy the little time off we do have. In Ancient Greece, “Leisure was an active state of mind. Good leisure meant playing sports, learning music theory, debating qualified peers and doing philosophy. Leisure was not easy, but it was supposed to be gratifying.”
Historians believe that a shift towards viewing leisure as time to prepare for work was accelerated by the Industrial Revolution. We now face high expectations even for time off, with pressure to cram our leisure time with activities that will impress and one-up our peers. Even our own leisure time is not our own like it once was.
Never before have we been forced to drastically reconsider how we spend our time as we have during the pandemic. Studies show that our desires for freedom and self-direction have increased through the lockdowns, potentially a result of more time available to pursue “artistic and intellectual” activities (and even just a simple response to being stuck at home). On a grimmer note, the pandemic has also made us vastly more aware of our own mortality. There is nothing quite like the awareness of your own demise to cause an existential crisis upon consideration of how you spend your time.
4 Day Week Global’s halfway point results, which have received generous attention in the media, may help change attitudes towards work. Worldwide, the pandemic has accelerated workplace anxiety and burnout. Over 50% of US employees report feeling stressed over half the day.
Beyond productivity and economic benefits, the four-day week presents an opportunity for a crucial step in a more balanced life and a mindful attitude towards the lifetime that often surprises us to not feel quite as long as we predict it to.
Hi, i think that i saw you visited my web site so i came to “return the favor”.I am trying to find things to enhance my website!I suppose its ok to use a few of your ideas!!
very nice post, i actually love this website, keep on it
Great work! That is the type of information that should be shared across the internet. Shame on Google for not positioning this submit upper! Come on over and consult with my website . Thanks =)
Good – I should definitely pronounce, impressed with your site. I had no trouble navigating through all tabs and related information ended up being truly simple to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Quite unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, site theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Excellent task..
Betting licenses are granted by the government where the casino sites operate.
Feel free to visit my webpage … online casino best bonus
tricor 200mg without prescription buy tricor 200mg pills buy generic fenofibrate
cheap ketotifen 1 mg zaditor 1mg tablet order tofranil 25mg online
acarbose 50mg without prescription purchase fulvicin without prescription order fulvicin 250 mg without prescription
Great beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your website, how could i subscribe for a weblog web site? The account aided me a acceptable deal. I have been tiny bit familiar of this your broadcast offered brilliant clear concept
buy aspirin 75mg online cheap buy cheap lquin purchase imiquad generic
dipyridamole price brand dipyridamole buy pravastatin
buy meloset 3 mg online cheap buy generic desogestrel for sale buy danocrine 100 mg without prescription
prasugrel 10 mg drug tolterodine 2mg cheap buy detrol without prescription
order monograph buy etodolac 600 mg online pletal 100 mg tablet
buy ferrous 100 mg for sale risedronate 35mg ca buy sotalol 40 mg sale
pyridostigmine sale order maxalt 10mg online cheap rizatriptan 10mg generic
betahistine 16mg price benemid us oral probenecid
buy latanoprost eye drop for sale buy exelon 6mg online cheap rivastigmine 6mg oral
omeprazole canada generic metoprolol buy lopressor medication
telmisartan cost molnupiravir 200 mg price buy molnupiravir generic
where can i buy cenforce order chloroquine pills chloroquine over the counter
generic tadalafil 20mg order tadalafil 10mg without prescription sildenafil 100mg
cefdinir usa buy prevacid 15mg pill lansoprazole 15mg us
modafinil cheap oral provigil 100mg buy prednisone pills for sale
azithromycin usa buy neurontin 100mg generic gabapentin 100mg without prescription
purchase protonix pill pyridium 200 mg tablet buy phenazopyridine 200mg without prescription
real money spins blackjack online free lasix usa
casino real money order vibra-tabs generic buy ventolin 4mg for sale
amantadine 100mg sale buy cheap dapsone order avlosulfon 100 mg without prescription
roulette game stromectol 12mg oral ivermectin 0.5 lotion india
internet roulette synthroid brand order levothroid generic
buy methylprednisolone generic aristocort 4mg generic triamcinolone price
cheap coversum clarinex brand order allegra 180mg for sale
purchase dilantin without prescription buy dilantin 100mg sale oxytrol price
loratadine oral buy ramipril pill buy generic dapoxetine online
baclofen 10mg generic toradol 10mg pills toradol pill
ozobax medication order toradol 10mg without prescription toradol 10mg brand
buy glimepiride 4mg without prescription generic amaryl 1mg buy arcoxia generic
buy generic fosamax for sale order nitrofurantoin 100mg online furadantin over the counter
order inderal 10mg for sale ibuprofen over the counter order plavix online cheap
nortriptyline uk cheap anacin 500 mg order panadol for sale
xenical canada order diltiazem for sale order generic diltiazem 180mg
cheap astelin 10ml acyclovir 800mg generic cost irbesartan
buy generic pepcid for sale buy losartan 50mg pill buy tacrolimus for sale
where to buy esomeprazole without a prescription buy mirtazapine 15mg without prescription order generic topamax 200mg
allopurinol 100mg canada allopurinol over the counter buy crestor without prescription
order imitrex 50mg sale imitrex 25mg canada order avodart sale
buy buspin pill buy zetia 10mg generic buy amiodarone 100mg pills
zantac 150mg ca order celebrex 100mg without prescription buy celecoxib cheap
where can i buy motilium coreg 6.25mg pill brand sumycin 250mg
flomax price tamsulosin us zocor 10mg pills
buy an assignment dissertation writers online term papers for sale online
aldactone 100mg price buy propecia no prescription finpecia buy online
order aurogra 100mg sale buy estradiol 1mg online buy generic yasmin
diflucan 200mg for sale buy acillin paypal cipro sale
purchase lamotrigine online cheap order generic lamotrigine 200mg purchase mebendazole online
metronidazole generic bactrim cheap cephalexin 250mg canada
buy retin gel online cheap avanafil buy online buy avanafil 200mg for sale
buy cleocin 150mg pill purchase erythromycin generic fildena 100mg canada
tadacip 10mg usa order generic tadalafil 10mg order indomethacin online
buy tamoxifen online order nolvadex generic budesonide price
cefuroxime 250mg us lumigan online purchase robaxin pill
buy desyrel 100mg pills where to buy clindac a without a prescription clindamycin tubes
websites to write essays good authors to write research paper on suprax 100mg us
aspirin sale online casino game black jack
cost amoxicillin 250mg order generic arimidex macrobid order
cheap dissertation help best winning slots online blackjack card game
order clonidine 0.1 mg pill catapres 0.1 mg over the counter spiriva 9mcg pill
rocaltrol buy online rocaltrol price how to get fenofibrate without a prescription
acne medicine prescribed by doctors acne treatment for teenagers order oxcarbazepine pill
minomycin without prescription minomycin price buy requip 1mg without prescription
alfuzosin 10mg pill best allergy over the counter best treatment for abdominal pain
letrozole cost letrozole 2.5mg for sale aripiprazole 20mg over the counter
buy sleeping pills uk online prescription diet pills online pharmacy top gnc weight loss products
provera 10mg price order hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg pills order hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg pills
Deposit/withdraw 1 baht. Invest in one website. Definitely make a lot of profit. You can play anywhereLog in to deposit and withdraw as quickly as possible. The most popular online game website at this time, stable, safe, playable, full payment. 918kiss
without deducting any percentage Meets the needs of every playing channel Come experience the fun. and create profits You can do it yourself. Direct website.
fda approved tobacco cessation medications best medicines to stop smoking stronger painkillers than co codamol
buy periactin 4mg generic buy luvox online purchase nizoral pills