Inertia limits changes in traditional work week

Last month, David Green wrote about shorter work weeks as a possible key to higher productivity for Fast Company.

Naturally, most businesses blanch at the notion of giving up any competitive edge in a globalized economy. But it’s not as if moving to a four-day (or 32-hour) workweek would simply lop 20% off the economy. Cutting hours may actually raise per-hour productivity. France, home of the 35-hour week, creates more GDP per work hour than the United States ($37 versus $34, as of 2003). Norway spanks us too ($39), and Norwegians work 26% fewer hours a year than Americans. It’s a myth of modern hypercapitalism that an overworked, sleep-deprived, stressed-out workforce is a necessity. Studies have consistently shown that longer workweeks increase productivity only in the very short term. In a recent survey by Salary.com, workers copped to wasting about 20% of the average day Web surfing and gossiping.

At my last job, it became obvious that while cubicles may promote interactivity between staff members, it also leads to a lot of time being wasted because it’s hard to block out surrounding conversations, so you wind up doing more socializing that you intend to. Fortunately, I wound up assigned to a cubicle at the far end of the floor with little foot traffic. I don’t think management understood why I kept turning down cubicles in the fray (which was thought to be the good real estate) when they freed up; I spent too many hours at the office to begin with, being a social butterfly was not going to make my days shorter.

While there appears to be a compelling argument for a 4 day work week (improving work place efficiency, some life balance, and being aware of one’s environmental impact v. the badge of honor/shame if you log insane hours), inertia persists. But it seems our not-officially-in-a-recession economy may allow Americans to shorten the work week, if not eventually start taking back their time.

When Ohio’s Kent State University offered custodial staff the option of working four days a week instead of five to cut commuting costs, most jumped at the chance, part of a U.S. trend aimed at combating soaring gasoline prices.”We offered it to 94 employees and 78 have taken us up on it,” said university spokesman Scott Rainone.

The reason is simple: rising gas prices and a desire to retain good workers. . .

“In our office, we have people who travel anywhere from five or six miles to a couple who are on the road 45 to 50 minutes,” Rainone said. “As the price of gas rises, the level of grumbling rises.”

The cost of commuting is making the shift to telecommuting and compressed work weeks more palatable to employers who typically want bodies in the building. Employers are also looking to cut back on overhead expenses, which shared office space can do. Yes, the sharp increase in expenses makes getting your job done more expediently beneficial to both workers and management.

As always, feel good changes that benefit the environment, not as important as feel good changes that benefit the bottom line.