How to work less, but earn more and not get too tired? This question worries, perhaps, not only many Russians, but also many residents of other countries around the world. It turns out that there is a recipe. Transition to a four-day work week. This proposal was made in early June by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. As an example, he cited the successful experience of foreign countries, where companies can afford to pay three days off a week. How does it work and how will technology help? Let's figure it out.
Experience from other countries
As an example, Medvedev cited one New Zealand company that refused the five-day period. Now its employees work only 4 days a week and rest 3. This transition has increased the productivity of the company's employees by 20 percent.
This is not the only example. In Holland, a four-day week is almost standard. In Denmark and Norway, people work on average no more than 33 hours a week. Recall that these are European countries with the highest economic indicators. The four-day work week is also used by some American companies. In particular, employees of Google, one of the largest technology companies in the world, have been working only four days a week for several years.
Most recently, the head of the Virgin Group, Richard Branson, announced the transition to a four-day work week. One of his companies is going to send tourists into space, and the other is to transport people in underground tunnels at a speed of more than 1000 km / h. So, he says that working five days a week, resting two, and also having a couple of weeks off a year is not such a long tradition. This norm appeared and took root at the beginning of the last century, reflecting both the increased labor productivity and the increased needs of people for occupations outside of work. Again, Branson cites the successful transition to a four-day work week at Google and other companies.
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Pros of a four-day work week
Scientists say that a four-day work week has a positive effect on the psychological and physical condition of people. People will be able to devote more time to their families, to do more with their household chores. Polls show that 60% of people just don't have time to go to gyms. The way out of the situation is to buy a treadmill or exercise bike. But even on them at the end of the week there is often simply no energy left.
Three days off will help you avoid chronic fatigue, which can lead to prolonged depression and stress. The transition to the new schedule will reduce the number of sick leave.
What does technology have to do with it?
Those in favor of the four-day period say that the transition to it is possible through increasing labor efficiency, as well as automating production. The first point has historically made it possible to reduce working hours and increase time for non-working needs. The second will allow shifting some of our work responsibilities onto machines.
There are already many examples of using robots. Take at least the same security robots. After all, it is for this that they are created - to replace a person where possible. Experts predict that in the future all progressive humanity will stop working. For them, robots equipped with artificial intelligence will do it. They will do all the work faster and more accurately than people. Many businesses are switching to industrial robots for the toughest jobs. Moreover, these machines make it more accurate and faster than people.
When will they work in Russia four days a week?
Despite the large number of holidays, Russians work very hard. According to the statistics of the International Labor Organization (ILO) for 2017, with a 40-hour working week, residents of our country gain 1980 working hours a year. For comparison, in the same USA 1790 working hours per year. And this despite the fact that they have fewer holidays.
The problem is that we have very low labor productivity (the ratio of goods and services produced and the time spent on it). According to experts, it needs to be increased by 20 percent. The current annual growth in labor productivity barely exceeds 1%. Thus, we need 20 years to more or less painlessly switch to the new schedule.
How do Russians themselves feel about the new idea?
Polls by VTsIOM show that 48% of Russians surveyed do not support this idea and are against it. 29% are positive, 17% say they don't care, and another 6% find it difficult to give a clear answer. The idea of introducing a four-day period was positively assessed by Russian residents of large cities with a million-plus population, where the average salary is higher. Residents of small towns and other small settlements assessed the new idea negatively. The main concern is the fall in wages.
What do our readers think on this issue?
Nikolay Khizhnyak
