Source: The post Debating the Future of Workweek Hours has been created, based on the article “We should all look forward to a 90-hour work-month” published in “Live mint” on 15th January 2025
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2- Governance-Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Human Resources.
Context: The article discusses the evolving workweek, highlighting debates around shorter work hours versus longer workweeks. It explores trials of four-day workweeks, historical reductions in work hours, technological impacts on productivity, and contrasting views of wealthy individuals and economists on work-life balance.
For detailed information on 70 Hours Work Week read this article here
What Are the Differing Views on Work Hours?
- Support for Shorter Workweeks
- Over 90% of UK companies implemented a four-day workweek after a successful 2022 trial.
- John Maynard Keynes predicted a 15-hour workweek by 2030 due to rising living standards and technological advancements.
- Andrew Barnes’ company, Perpetual Guardian, in New Zealand, showed that employees were happier and more productive with a four-day workweek at full pay.
- Jack Ma stated that technological advancements might allow people to work three days a week, four hours a day, in the next 20 years.
- John Maynard Keynes predicted in 1930 that improved living standards would lead to much shorter work hours by 2030.
- Support for Longer Workweeks
- N.R. Narayana Murthy suggested young Indians work 70 hours per week to boost India’s economy.
- L&T’s chairman supports a 90-hour workweek.
- Elon Musk advised employees to prepare for 80-hour workweeks at Twitter in 2022.
- Jack Ma earlier defended China’s 12-hour, six-day work culture in 2019.
How Do Shorter Workweeks Impact Productivity and Well-being?
- Improved Productivity: Trials in the UK showed that more than 90% of businesses continued a four-day workweek due to its success in maintaining productivity.
- Enhanced Employee Happiness: New Zealand’s Perpetual Guardian employees experienced higher focus, happiness, and better personal engagement after adopting a four-day workweek.
- Better Work-Life Balance: Portugal’s gradual reduction of the workweek from 44 to 40 hours benefited women and employees with family responsibilities.
- Health Benefits: Shorter workweeks reduce stress, as highlighted in Japan’s efforts to address overwork deaths, where 54 cases occur annually.
- Economic and Environmental Advantages: Rutger Bregman, in his 2016 article in The Guardian, argued that cutting back on work hours could improve worker safety and address environmental issues, stress, inequality, happiness, and unemployment.
What Is the Future of Work Hours?
Keynes and Jack Ma foresee AI enabling shorter workdays. The future might bring seismic workplace changes, possibly reducing workweeks to 90 hours monthly instead of weekly. The effectiveness of AI in achieving this remains to be seen.
Question for practice:
Evaluate the differing perspectives on shorter versus longer workweeks and their implications for productivity and well-being.
Discover more from Free UPSC IAS Preparation Syllabus and Materials For Aspirants
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.