Instituted after the Great Depression, the 40-hr work week was intended as a job creation tool. But the traditional “full-time” employment model is bad for the health of workers, the environment and the economy. Giving workers more time to take care of themselves is not only good for employees, it improves productivity and benefits the company.
10x Management believes that partnering with an on-demand freelancer agency is the best model for both companies and professionals. It ensures employees are engaged only when needed, and that they’re fresh and focused whenever they work. The 50+hrs/week that people typically work and commute leaves them little time to take care of themselves and be at their best. This causes stress, burnout and lower productivity – everyone loses. As discussed in CNN’s, Why Four Day Workweeks Are Best:
In a 2012 op-ed in the New York Times, software CEO Jason Fried reported that the 32-hour, four-day workweek his company follows from May through October has resulted in an increase in productivity. “Better work gets done in four days than in five,” he wrote. It makes sense: When there’s less time to work, there’s less time to waste. And when you have a compressed workweek, you tend to focus on what’s important. (Like sleep, quality work happens best when uninterrupted.)
The inefficiency of overwork also impacts the environment and economy. The Center for the New American Dream has published a series of infographics showing stats on the impact of overwork.
Read more about the Center’s discussion of the 4-day work week in Reclaiming Out Time.