Why is there a 40-hour workweek in California?
Everyone who works today is familiar with the 40-hour work week, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best plan for your staff. What are the pros and cons of this uniform approach, and what other options are there?
To find out where the 40-hour work week came from, see some examples of alternative work schedules, and find out how to choose the right one for your business, check out the rest of this article.
Shall we begin?
What does a 40-hour work week entail?
The standard workweek consists of five 8-hour days. The actual hours may vary from Monday to Friday, although they are often 9 am to 5 pm, hence the nickname “9 to 5”.
Timeline of the traditional 40-hour workweek
Because of the terrible working conditions that prevailed after the Industrial Revolution, many workers put in more than 80 hours a week. Yikes!
The government’s first goal in mandating a standard work week of 40 hours was to encourage private enterprises to do the same. As one of just a small number of major corporations to do so in 1926, Ford Motor Company chose to cut its workers’ 48-hour work week to 40 hours in an effort to improve working conditions. Working longer hours with less rest was counterproductive, as Henry Ford observed.
Lawmakers in Washington, DC, approved the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1940. This was the start of the law that said people who worked over forty hours a week had to get extra pay, or overtime.
All companies that employed full-time workers were required to adhere to the 40-hour work week until quite recently.
Do people still need to work a standard 40-hour week?
Companies all over the globe are trying out different work schedules to see what works best for their staff and how they might strike a better balance between work and personal life. Job duties, industry, and the potential financial impact of alternate schedules should be considered when deciding whether these alternatives to the 40-hour work week are suitable for your organization.
Departing from a regular routine has its drawbacks, even though there is some evidence that greater independence and freedom might boost productivity.
The benefits and drawbacks of using a set timetable
The current trend in Europe is away from standardized schedules. Let’s take a closer look at why that might be.
The Benefits of a 40-hour Workweek
Maintains a routine: People who work from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, know they have the whole weekend off, which gives them plenty of time to make personal and professional time.
Encourages responsibility: Your employees will be held to their daily arrival and completion times. People may be less serious about their work if they have more leeway in their schedules.
Promotes open lines of communication: When employees have a regular work schedule, they are more likely to be available to one another, which can lead to better workplace communication. As a result, working as a team becomes much easier, and communicating and asking questions becomes a breeze.
Downsides of a 40-hour workweek
Poor work-life balance: Workers may feel stifled by their rigid work schedules, which prevent them from spending time with loved ones or pursuing personal interests.
Reduced productivity: Overwork negatively impacts workers’ health, focus, and mood, according to some research. Employees that are in good health tend to be more productive.
Human error is on the rise: When employees are under pressure from lengthy work hours, they are more prone to making mistakes.
Scheduling and work arrangement examples
What if you’re interested in exploring non-standard work schedules? Here are a few examples of adaptable timetables and working arrangements.
1. Flextime
A great way to give your workers greater freedom is to let them set their own schedule. Employees still need to put in 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week with flextime, but they have more leeway in deciding when they work.
As an example, your workers could report for duty between 7 and 10 in the morning and 3 and 6 in the afternoon.
The key to making this work is deciding on a set of mandatory work hours for each employee. Suppose your primary business hours are from 11 am to 3 pm. With a full roster of employees available at certain times, scheduling meetings, training, and other administrative tasks becomes a breeze.
2. Telecommuting
One kind of flexible work arrangement is telecommuting, in which workers spend some time each week working from home and then come into the office on occasion. The rise of remote work and improvements in videoconferencing have contributed to this trend’s meteoric rise in popularity. Jobs requiring physical labor or direct patient care are two examples of occupations where remote work isn’t an option.
3. Work from home
The ability to do one’s job duties and yet have time for one’s family and personal commitments is a big reason why working remotely is becoming more popular. Installing software on PCs that logs time on job, progress, and client interactions has made remote work in customer support and sales quite feasible.
The downsides include the possibility of increased support service costs in the event of problems and the fact that residential internet outages can render your team useless.
4. 9/80
With a 9/80 plan, workers have to put in 9 days of work every two weeks. They might work:
- Five nine-hour days in the first week followed by four nine-hour days in the second. 4 and a half days each week
- Work four 10-hour days per week with the possibility of earning an additional day off for putting in an extra hour each day.
With this plan, workers have some leeway to decide how they want to spend their time.
5. Annualized hours
Combine flextime with a compressed 9/80 schedule to get an annualized hours arrangement. The maximum number of hours an employee can work in a year is up for discussion in this agreement. Workers may be able to swap in additional hours at peak times for greater vacation time.
Benefits and drawbacks of different timetable options
Some companies in other countries have even reported increased productivity after cutting workers’ hours to as few as 29 per week. Some things to think about are:
The Benefits
- Enhanced morale: By allowing workers more leeway to arrange their schedules around their personal requirements, flexible work options have the potential to increase both morale and job satisfaction. A worker who has a long drive to the workplace may be less anxious and more productive when given the option to work from home two or three days a week.
- More attractive to top talent: Since flexible work schedules are all the rage these days, it could help bring in and keep employees who are more comfortable with this approach.
- Improves output: Some workers may be more efficient if given more leeway to choose their own timetables. It is possible that some workers are most productive first thing in the morning. A later shift is an option for those who would rather sleep in.
- Raising retention rates: Standardized schedules are associated with greater employee turnover rates, maybe as a result of employees seeking out remote work possibilities or other forms of flexible scheduling.
The Downsides
It could be challenging to monitor employees’ work progress or develop strong professional relationships if you permit them to come later, earlier, or work from home, limiting your capacity to engage with them. Less face-to-face time means less opportunities to bond.
- Disrupts workplace communication: Allowing employees more leeway in their schedules may cause friction in the company’s internal communications. It may require more time and effort to send out vital documents, collect signatures, or schedule crucial office meetings.
- Giving your workers a choice of when they work could make them happier with their jobs and help them do their best. However, there may be administrative and logistical hurdles to overcome, and flexible schedules aren’t a good fit for many jobs.
To compete for top personnel, you may need to adopt flexible work hours like other companies do. You should carefully consider the pros and cons before making a decision that may affect your company.
Questions and answers on the 40-hour workweek
1. Is it more expensive to employ people who work remotely?
Hiring remote workers instead of in-house employees could help you save money on office space and equipment. While it’s convenient for remote workers to use their own devices to access company data, there are security concerns that may make you feel more comfortable purchasing work-only devices.
These expenses may be more than compensated for, though, by the improved productivity and morale that come with remote employment.
2. What kinds of benefits do most companies provide to workers who are willing to work different hours?
Having an annualized schedule makes it possible to provide benefits like limitless paid time off. Wellness programs can help your staff stay physically and mentally well, and they’re available to them whenever they need them. Your employees can still reap the benefits of typical benefits packages, such as health insurance and retirement savings, even if they work on a different schedule.
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