Are You Ready For The 32 Hour Work Week?
- ggretsas
- May 31, 2024
- 2 min read
Are You Ready For The 32 Hour Work Week? You get paid for a 5 day, 40 hour work week but only have to work 32 hours a week, 4 days per week.
San Juan County, Washington has been doing this for the past 6 months and has just issued a report on how it’s working for them.
I have attached the report your your reference.
Here’s a summary of their findings:
1) Separations dropped 46%.
2) They filled positions 62% faster.
3) Employees used 31% less sick time.
4) Staff said their work-life balance is 83% better.
5) Only 12% of workers said that they felt stressed.
6) 78% of staff hired after the 32-hour workweek was instituted said the schedule was a "main factor" in their decision to apply.
7) They claim to have saved almost $1 million in requested cost-of-living adjustments and benefits over the course of a 40-hour workweek in 2024.
For the sake of balance, here are some arguments from opponents of a 32 hour work week:
1) Economic Impact: Reducing work hours without a corresponding reduction in pay could increase labor costs significantly. This could strain government budgets and lead to higher taxes or reduced public services.
2) Productivity Concerns: A shorter work week might lead to decreased productivity, as it assumes that all tasks can be completed in less time without compromising the quality of work. This might not hold true for all types of government work.
3) Service Availability: Government services need to be available to the public throughout the week. A shorter work week might reduce the availability of essential services, potentially leading to delays and public dissatisfaction.
4) Implementation Challenges: Transitioning to a 32-hour work week could pose logistical challenges, including the need to restructure workflows and potentially hire additional staff to cover the same amount of work, further increasing costs and complexity.
5) Potential Negative Effects on Workers: A 32-hour work week could inadvertently harm workers by increasing job demands and stress if they are expected to maintain the same level of output in less time.
Are you ready for the 32 hour work week?
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