Should Americans Have A Longer Work Week?

Over the last two decades, American workers have been clocking more and more hours on the job, and they now work more hours than workers in any other industrialized country. Annual work hours are 4% higher than they were in 1980, amounting to an extra 1 hour and 30 minutes at work per week, on average (ILO 1999). Workers are also clocking more overtime hours. Almost one-third of the workforce regularly works more than the standard 40-hour week; one-fifth work more than 50 hours. The growth in overtime work, while helping to drive the healthy growth in output in the U.S., has unhealthy social costs. It is taking its toll not only on workers, but on their families, communities, and, ultimately in many cases, patients, customers, and

Before introducing the workplace issues related to the development of four-day workweek, a clear definition of this schedule is needed. According to Department of Labor (n.d.), “A workweek is a fixed and regularly recurring period of 168 hours, or seven consecutive 24-hour periods. The workweek does not have to coincide with the calendar week, but instead it may begin on any day of the week and at any hour of the day.” It might be the “four-day, 32-hour workweek – more leisure, less work” (Wernette 1), or the “three-day, 40 hour, compressed work week” that Vega

It is not uncommon to become accustomed to the way business is conducted in the United States. It’s a fair assumption that many young, inexperienced business executives are unaware of international cultures in business. Each country has particular customs and practices. It certainly goes without saying that Corporate America has an understanding when it comes to the terms of a standard workweek.

The Populists claim that the workday is way too long and creates a system where people cannot find time for their own ambitions. However, it is through the long work days that the millionaires of our era learned the value of hard work and the fruits which hard work bears. If these self-made men worked for just eight hours a day, a belief would be instilled that work ethic is not directly related to result, thus resulting in a belief that work is not related to gain. Aside from devaluing hard work, the regulation of work day would impact our economy in huge ways. By reducing the amount that US factories create, the shorter work days would pose a financial problem for our government as with less manufacturing, the government earns less tax dollars while still being required to pay for roads and postal service as well as the armies protecting our

An increase in the number of vacation days or limiting the hours worked in a week by the government may increase the quality of life by providing more leisure time. However, the overall quality of life would struggle because in this day and age one has to have money to have a good time. Recently after much debate, the French eliminated their 35-hour workweek limit with strong justifiable arguments by both parties. The law was first put in place in 2000 due impart to the unemployment rate that was around 10% at the time. Ideally with shorter workweeks companies would have to hire more employees to maintain current outputs. Although, in recent years it has become apparent that instead of lowering the unemployment rate, it has remained near

I think that the United States could go to the six hour work day. People in the past have done it and it was a huge success. During the Industrial Revolution people had to work 11-12 hours each day with little pay. Later on in the 1900s, Henry Ford changed the work hours for his employees and they showed great amounts of success. Ford doubled their pay and they did the work 2 times faster and more efficiently.

Personally, I believe that there should be changes in employment laws to give Americans more time to relax. That is why it is important to provide a solution to the problem that is affecting the lives of many Americans. The first thing to do to provide more free time to employees is to establish a law that makes it mandatory for employees to not work past 40 hours a week. Another, way to fix the problem is to increase the income of employee workers that way they can work 40 hours a week. That way workers’ productivity can improve while, not having a negative on the workers’ physically and

They state that shorter workdays require a level of intense focus that can be damaging to ones health, however if ten minute breaks were implemented for every hour of work, people would have enough time to recharge before resuming their task. Others are worried that with shortened hours, people will lose income, and the health benefits that come with a full time job. If the workday is shortened, then insurance and wages will naturally adapt to fit the new hours.

Americans work more than anyone in the industrialized world. More than the English, more than the French, way more than the Germans or Norwegians. Even, recently, more than the Japanese. And Americans take less vacation, work longer days, and retire later, too. But for many of us, more work leads to more stress and a lower quality of life. Without time to unwind, take care of your home, spend time with loved ones, enjoy our hobbies, connect with friends, and generally live a more balanced life. Stress is the #1 cause of health problems – mentally and physically. And there are few things that stress us out on a consistent basis like work does, especially when it takes away from all of the other things that life has to offer.

When at work there are always those certain coworkers that you personally can’t stand; working less hours than you do now will still allow you to still make the money you need to pay bills and save in general. You will no longer have to deal with those annoying coworkers.

In the event a six-hour work day was proposed, and should take effect. One would have to take in the consideration of the wages loss in that 2 hour period, as stated in the second paragraph of the section entitled Six-Hour Days Will Never Work. I personally feel this would pose a great problem for the average working class in today's society. The working person already feels compelled to take in

My position on later work day is as followed, American should work part time or full time. the stander work week in the U.S. is a 40 hours. Also a part time work week is 32 hours and you can work less. In addiction to working a 40 hours week you can work more and make more money. This is my option on a work week and how it will benefit us in the long run.

From my exspirence when you work less hours out of the days you dont make as much money so then you can't do everything you want to do. It takes longer to save up money working less hours and then there are times you have nothing to do so you just sit there and do nothing. With eight-hour work days you can save up your money twice as fast and be able to do more stuff plus you will have a full schedule depending on whe4re you work at. I feel like eight-hour work days is plenty of time to work and is fair to the people and very helpfull to those who really need money and if peole want to work six-hour work days

I think that a six-hour work day should become standard in the United States. As stated in the article most people do their best thinking in the morning and late afternoon. This mean workers will be more willing to help out or even work harder, aslo means they can get a good night sleep. Who doesn't like a good night sleep? There still should be over time, for workers who need a little bit more money.

In conclusion, shortening the workday to six hours will be beneficial overall to the companies that adopt it. With workers showing increased productivity, heightened focus, and an overall happier and positive attitude. A six hour workday should become the standard for all workplaces around the