Four Day Work Week

How much would this benefit you? Would it make you a better employee? How about a better parent?

The 9 O'Clock Hour Rundown

Shouldn’t it be our patriotic duty to switch to a 4 day work week where possible? Wouldn’t a 3 day weekend make everybody a better employee? In theory, Doug said it should save 20% on fuel costs. He also thinks it would make people better parents. Staggering the days both parents have off would give them more time to spend with their kids. Where’s the downside in all this?

47 hours – the average work week, and that’s not including the extra time we put in off the clock with our blackberries, e-mail and other devices. Doesn't that prove we don't always have to be in the office to be productive? With new technology, Doug offered that most jobs have some component that could be done in pajamas from home.

Doug took a flood of calls and e-mails from people whose work week already consists of 4 10-hour days. They say it saves money and makes for happy employees. Others pointed out how hard it is to get through 8 hour work days. Mondays would be unbearable.

A caller asked why we don’t stagger work start times to reduce congestion on freeways. Doug remembered during the Olympics, when Mitt Romney, Rocky and others asked Utahns to do just that. Utahns did it too well. They had to ask people to come back out because the state looked empty. We’re up to the challenge.

Will the 4 day week work with schools as well? One caller thought so. He said his local school does it. He loves having his kids home an extra day.

Doug knows the solution’s not going to come from our government. They’re too busy getting re-elected to actually solve anything. It’s innovation at the local level that’s going to get us through. We need to think differently. The old way of doing business needs a massive overhaul.