A thought for you.......would you be OK with every company in your 401k or retirement portfolio cutting their employee hours to 32 hours a week? Companies are finding ways to work smarter. Look at reports from sources like Gartner, etc......business IT and technology spending is consistently going up in the US. They don't spend $$$ just to spend $$$.....they do it to gain efficiencies. As a company you make investments into a more efficient business so that you can grow, not so that you can scale back and pay people the same but give themselves more time off. I can say with first hand experience that work ethic outside of the US tends to be significantly better, at least in the UK and EMEA. I manage around 15 resources here in the US, and when bench marked with our UK and EMEA teams.........our guys in the UK and EMEA work longer hours, and have a higher level of committment to the company's success across the board. While they do have more vacation time around the holidays in the UK, they more than make up for it when you look at hours worked the whole year. I think work ethic in the US is tremendously low today. We have a culture of doing the minimum necessary to get by. You would be shocked to see how hard it is to find young, ambitious talent that is willing to work their butt off to make sick amounts of $$$ these days. People that slack a certain percentage of the time while on the clock today........will slack in the same proportions if you shortened their week. One last thought..............if everyone was paid based on a performance system, and their pay directly correlated to their output or success in the position.......your idea would maybe work. Without that.......it doesn't work unless the employee has skin in the game........without skin in the game it's a going out of business plan. JMHO.
I say we adopt the Japanese style work ethic. We can all walk around in business suits, work 80+ hours a week, totally abandon our families by being married to our jobs, and then ultimately off ourselves because of stress.
this makes me want to throw my computer threw the window..a 32 hour work week? I think that's a joke....PATHETIC....sack up sally and lets get to work... what a sad sad tom wearing country we have become. you can bet your butt no one will ever be calling us the "greatest generation" in 50 years.....LOL!!! I guess its where we are headed as a society...let me guess everyone gets a trophy too or an "atta-boy" or wait...EVERYONE gets a pay raise at the same time too right? and we all get positive reviews at work right? don't want anyone's feelings to be hurt, or for anyone to feel left out. UGHH.....you got me hook line and sinker!! LOL!!!!
If you can do 40 hours worth of work in 32 hours, I don't see how it's pathetic... Like I said, working more efficient and smarter is better than working longer and harder. I know this is a completely different view than how most were raised, but hopefully this will change with the upcoming generations.
Very similar to my job except for the mandatory 40 hours. More often than not its 40+ hours but there are weeks when I work less than 40 hours, but I am salary. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk www.skyangler.com
People in the U.S. need to work more not less. If you keep the same salary and work less hours couldn't you find more work to do in the extra 8 hours? I would rather have 4-10 hour shifts and be closed on Friday but in my industry you have to be here when the customer calls or they go elsewhere. If people actually got paid for what they did and not by the hour or salary you would see a rise in production and then you know what you are worth and set your own schedule. If you wanted to have a 3 day weekend you could without any problems. I also believe the obesity issue has nothing to due with work related stress and more to do with laziness and dietary issues then WORK.
If they can do the same work they are doing in 32 hours as they were in 40, I wouldn't care. Again, studies have shown that people will work faster and more efficiently if they know they will get to go home sooner. Are these expats? Again, studies how shown otherwise.
I'm so busy at my job right now I can't get everything done in even 40 hours...but I would love to work only 32
Most industrues have already switched over to smarter and faster ways of doing the work. Competition from china has made it a necessity. Many trades have had to learn to do more with a smaller work force and work is returning because of it. The catch that I have noticed is now that they have learned to do more with less is they aren't hiring. Look at the stock market. Companies are doing great but unemployment is still stagnant. (Then you add in added cost to do business by the government) 32 hour week might put more people to work. That one day will have to be made up somewhere but there again. Wages will not. Considering most are hourly workers, less money in their pockets. Just one mans opinion Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2
You wouldn't have concern that a company in your portfolio that realizes efficiencies through working smarter would be passing that savings onto the employees vs. you the share holder? You do realize that this means your 401k and retirement stops growing right? What would happen to our economy if all companies had a plan of no growth and low/no profit to investors, and prioritized increased employee satisfaction above those things? Do companies exist to provide service/product to customers, jobs to employees, or profits for their owners?
Studies also show attention to detail towards quitting time is lower than any other part of the workday/workweek. If attention to detail is lower, quality is lower and there is a greater risk of accident/injury. These are all liabilities to the company. Also, Matt is spot on with companies are in business to reward the shareholders not the employees. Employees are already rewarded through their paycheck and benefits. A salaried employee making $60K a year that screws off 8 hours a week is basically stealing $12K a year. If you are being paid for 40 hours a week and you complete your tasks in 32, why are you screwing off instead of letting your employer know you don't have enough to keep you productive?
I like it but wouldn't work with my job. I get paid on commission. If I work lazier I get off later and if I work hard I get off earlier making the same amount. If i work hard all day everyday im pushing 55 hrs a week.
Congrats 32hr/wk employee you are now no longer considered a full-time employee. You will now have NO benefits available to you from the company...we hear that the Federal government is starting up a terrific healthcare program. Good luck! -Bill
