Last week California proposed a bill to mandate a 4-day work week, which is no surprise considering the shortened work week has been a hot topic this year.

In the UK, the pilot scheme trialling a four-day week for six months is currently underway in 30 companies - similar to ones which have already run in Iceland, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, plus all the countries that already have more flexible working practices.

But debates over the length of the workweek are nothing new; in fact, the workweek has constantly evolved over the past 100 years.

Here’s a quick timeline in the West:

1926 The Ford Motor Company standardised the Monday-to-Friday pattern, moving away from the traditional six-day workweek to increase worker productivity

1950s Labour unions called for a four-day week, saying it would have even more significant benefits for companies and workers, but uptake was slow

2020 The pandemic transformed working styles and caused some leaders to rethink, and since there has been a huge uptick in the number of four-day workweek trials and announcements

Working fewer days for the same pay, the benefits seem obvious; more time for childcare and less spent on childcare costs, less burn-out and more time for hobbies & well-being. The work-life integration so many of us crave could be around the corner.

Hustle Crew, are you already working a four-day work week? Will it boost your productivity? Let us know.

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