If you're wondering what the impact of a four day working week might be on productivity (the critics claim it will have no, or a negative impact), Iceland's ongoing experiment suggests, that consultation on, and then the reorganisation of, the working week into four days has led to a major uplift in productivity.
Even allowing for the fact that Iceland's economy is not a direct parallel to the UK, this report should encourage us to shift to a four day work week!
#work
https://autonomy.work/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Iceland_-1.pdf
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RaymondPierreL3
In response to this post@ChrisMayLA6
We need a definition of ‘productivity’. In an economic sense it could just means capital reinvestment in the material means of production or production processes, not much to do with workers per se. What is the definition of ‘productive’ in this instance?
@RaymondPierreL3
I would take it as the economic output or a particular worker (or group of workers0 related to the factors of production; so it might be increased by improved work practice(s), some new technology or the combination of both - there is also the possibility of the impact of improved sociality (via, for instance better mental health of workers) - most (all) measures of productivity I have seen are centred on the worker(s)
by Emeritus Prof Christopher May ;
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🇨🇦️coolpup🇨🇦️
In response to this post@ChrisMayLA6 I've done the 4 day work week in 1 place I worked. It's nice having a long weekend EVERY weekend. 👍 😀
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h4890
In response to this post@ChrisMayLA6 This is a completely nonsense discussion.
What should be done, is to not enforce _any_ limits on the work week. Companies who want 5 days a week, do it, the ones who want 7 days a week, do it, and the ones who want 4 or 3 days a week do it.
Then we'll let the market decide which amount of working days per week is the optimal one.
My bet is that it will differ from business to business and market to market.
@h4890
ha ha, well the difficulty is the social norms of the five day week.... no-one is suggesting forcing firms to move to four days, but it is the case that magnates are mistaken about its impact, and that's what needs to change... the Icelandic example could only really take place in a small relatively politically homogenous country, of course
by Emeritus Prof Christopher May ;
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