Are Eight-Hour Days Numbered?

The eight-hour day is universally viewed as the basis for a full-time working week of 40 hours. With work from home having been popularised and flexibility of hours on the rise, is the standard eight-hour day numbered? Are eight-hour working days still reasonable across industries? Is a one-size-fits-all approach to the work week outdated?

The social movement to reduce the length of the working day to a reasonable length commenced as early as the 16^th Century. Typically, it was divided into four morning hours and four afternoon hours to ensure the ongoing health and safety of the workforce. Employee death caused by fatigue was a common occurrence in factories, mining, construction work and in the field.

Worker unionisation led to revolts and revolutions. By the commencement of the First World War, workers in America were striking to establish the eight-hour day as a standard. The International Labour Organisation tabled the eight-hour day in 1919 resulting in the 'Hours of Work (Industry) Convention', which has become generally accepted worldwide.

The eight-hour day is intrinsically linked with the celebration of the International Workers’ Day (also known as May Day). It is also represented in the Stonemason’s 888 slogan, representing eight hours’ work, eight hours’ rest, eight hours’ recreation.

There is a new push for the four-day work week, which employers argue, if applied, should operate as a condensed work week. This means a working day could potentially increase to ten-hours, generating fatigue concerns. But with the weekly commute reduced or removed, is fatigue less of an issue? Other questions over general productivity and profit have been rightfully raised.

While productivity is notoriously difficult to measure in many workplaces, other indicators such as absenteeism, stress and dispute claims, and turnover rates are more easily quantified. For the brave employers who are willing to trial this new work-week standard, go the spoils?! Will the best and brightest want to work fewer days, or do they need the full five-day work week challenge?

If the transition to the four-day work week was to occur with no loss of pay for employees, this effectively means a generous pay rise. With consumer price inflation rates high, this might be justified over a specific period, such as 3 years. This development would truly mark an evolution in employment relations. More than that, it would be revolutionary for work life welfare.

As time goes on, more employees of choice will vote with their feet.

Those that are not an employer of choice risk falling behind the eight-ball.

Subscribe or follow to keep up to date with regular publications.