Re:Why Not a Three-Day Week?
by TeMPOraL on Saturday August 09, 2014 @04:54PM
(#8157989)
Imagine three companies doing equivalent work in the same sector.
Company A has 3-day work weeks; it's running Monday - Wednesday and then it's inactive for four days.
Company B is like A, but instead of not working 4 days a week, it doubles the staff and has people working 3-day work weeks in two groups.
Company C has employes working 6 days a week.
You can see that companies B and C will be strictly more productive than A and they will outcompete it quickly. As for B vs. C, it all depends on whether costs associated with additional employees (benefits, etc.) outweight the marginal productivity bonus company B has over C by virtue of employees being less tired and having a life. Apparently, the costs are greater, since most companies look more like C than B.
And hence, if you switch to 3-days workweek, you'll lose to the ones who work 6 days/week.
Company A has 3-day work weeks; it's running Monday - Wednesday and then it's inactive for four days.
Company B is like A, but instead of not working 4 days a week, it doubles the staff and has people working 3-day work weeks in two groups.
Company C has employes working 6 days a week.
You can see that companies B and C will be strictly more productive than A and they will outcompete it quickly. As for B vs. C, it all depends on whether costs associated with additional employees (benefits, etc.) outweight the marginal productivity bonus company B has over C by virtue of employees being less tired and having a life. Apparently, the costs are greater, since most companies look more like C than B.
And hence, if you switch to 3-days workweek, you'll lose to the ones who work 6 days/week.