Survey: Do You Like the Idea of a Four Day Week?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto
on 08.14.08


Kenny posted recently how schools that have gone on a four day week to save fuel have "reaped enormous benefits" including savings on cooling and improved staff morale. The Christian Science Monitor reported earlier that "flexible hours are not just good for retaining existing workers, but also for recruiting new ones."- people like it a lot.
The CSM asks if workers are as productive on longer shifts, if those who are already working too much overtime will put in yet more, and most importantly, what will happen to dinnertime?
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I've shifted over to 4 ten hour days almost 2 months ago and its fantastic. I'm getting up a bit earlier and work from 7:30 am to 6 pm with a half hour lunch. Sometimes I get a little tired, but being able to sleep in 3 days a week, and knowing I have Friday to get done any chores, doctor's appointments, bank business, etc. makes the rest of the weekend fantastic.
Our whole organization makes the switch October 1 and we're expecting to save over $90,000 in utility costs this year.
long weekends = more trips = visiting parents more often = drive down to vegas for a weekend of gambling
i think it will not save any energy in the long run
i could easily work an additinal 2 hours a day. - and adding 2 hours would still get me home about 6:30 in the evening.
I like the idea, but being a relatively new dad and struggling with the cost of childcare, it can not be done by selective companies. Everyone needs to change because I believe family is a very important aspect of life. But if I am going to be away from them longer for 4 days and still have to pay for the 5th day of daycare, where is the benefits to someone like me? I am basically paying to have an extra day with my child.
Think about it, if you thought mondays were bad, they will be twice as bad if you have a four day week, the weekend would be extra long making you loose your entire focus and direction you were at on the last day of work, weekends are already too long,
We should have more time with our families or to ourselves, period. The idea of having "dinner time" sullied by working later is by my estimation a non-issue. Either you make QUALITY time to have dinner with your family or you don't. Anyway, dinner is later in Europe and theirs is a better example to follow.
I already work 4 day weeks. Financially it is killing me. When i have chores i try to do them together. I need 5 days.
"with technology, your office is where you are."
Which is in India, where someone else will get paid a tiny fraction of what you need to live. :)
"If the train's on time, you can get to work by nine"
Of course, you could just take an earlier train and get to work two hours earlier so you'll be home in time for dinner.
I voted "other" for a few reasons...
1. My wife works (I'm disabled) at a nursing home, she's an LPN, and doesn't work a regular 5 day week, the same as many other millions of health care workers. Her facility is open 24/7.
2. Not everyone works in an office environment, 9 to 5 x5. The question is irrelevant to many people who don't, and to anyone who works in an industry that operates 24/7 and never shuts down. Let's not forget people in service industries, and those in the trucking and transportation industries (yes, we still need them until transporter technology is invented).
It isn't just office workers who are interested in the "Green" movement. You need to broaden your horizons to that fact when developing survey's.
I fully support the concept as far as it will go. As other posters have commented, many do not work the corporate 9-5 job. My main day for work is Sunday. While I would love to have off Thursday to Saturday reality is that the people I serve wouldn't accept it. Sad, but true.
I'm a college student. 20 hours a week of class, and an additional 30-50 hours a week of work outside of class. For me, any 40 hour work week would be a significant reduction.
I'm a college student. 20 hours a week of class, and an additional 30-50 hours a week of work outside of class. For me, any 40 hour work week would be a significant reduction.
As for energy use, my time doing work and my free time consume about the same amount of energy. It wouldn't make a difference for me.
I'd rather work 4 days a week, eight hours a day for the same pay. Also, would prefer variable hours for start & finish, as well as telecommuting & better public transpo