The Effective 40-hour workweek

On September 25th, the 40-hour workweek turns 98. I wrote about it last year and felt it was time to revisit the topic. It’s wild that, despite all the progress we’ve made as a society, we still hold onto this outdated model. In 1926, streets were full of horses - now, we debate AI replacing jobs, yet most of us still work 9-to-5. [Side note: I think I’ve improved as a writer, so feel free to check my previous article and let me know if you agree.]

I thought the pandemic would finally end this centennial model. Remote work, more flexibility - it seemed like we were heading in the right direction. Yet, many companies (Amazon being the latest) are reverting to pre-pandemic norms. Did we learn nothing from the past 4.5 years?

Will this ever change? Will AI reduce our work hours? No one knows for sure, but I have some thoughts and a proposal. Keep reading if you’re curious.

THE THEORY

Henry Ford introduced the 40-hour workweek in 1926, a game-changing decision at the time. Prior to this, it was common for workers to clock-in 60 to 80 hours a week, especially in factories. Ford saw that exhausted workers were less productive and believed reducing hours would improve efficiency and even turn workers into better consumers of the cars they built (capitalism at its finest!). This move reshaped labor standards around the world.

Experts once predicted working hours would keep shrinking. In 1930, economist John Maynard Keynes famously predicted a 15-hour workweek by 2030, mainly due to technology. But despite huge advances, we’re still working around 40 hours. Where did the promised extra leisure time go?

Different models have been tested but none feels like a "slam dunk." Countries like Iceland, New Zealand, and Spain have conducted successful experiments with four-day workweeks. In contrast, Greece is reportedly considering adopting a six-day workweek, mainly due to economic reasons. Overall, the results are inconclusive, and even when test results look promising, most remain hesitant to scale.

Parkinson’s Law offers a possible explanation: "work expands to fill the time available." This means that, no matter how much time we have (40 or 20 hours), we tend to fill it with tasks. This is a key productivity concept that could help us rethink how we approach our workweek [Side note: This might also explain why in my last three moves I've ended up using exactly the same number of boxes I had available.]

MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS

At the 2024 Work Design Conference, the future of work was highlighted as being focused on flexibility and purpose. For some, well-being might mean working zero hours one week; for others, it could mean 80 hours of meaningful work. Research supports that aligning well-being (psychological safety) with job demands boosts both productivity and fulfillment. However, it won’t be a one-size-fits-all solution, making it difficult to implement - specially for larger companies.

My take? The 40-hour workweek isn’t disappearing soon, especially for big companies rooted in traditional models. However, I do believe smaller, flexible companies will experiment with new approaches, offering it as a perk that goes beyond free lunches and chair massages. Flexibility is becoming the ultimate office perk - 51% of workers would switch jobs for it, according to Gallup. This gives companies with flexible options a big advantage in attracting talent.

My recommendation: Don’t wait for policy changes. Apply Parkinson’s Law. Challenge yourself to finish your work in fewer hours and free up time for more impactful projects. I used this approach at Amazon, setting aside Friday afternoons for side projects. That focus helped me launch trainings and a community that were never part of my full-time job. You don’t need permission to make more effective use of your time.

HOW TO PUT THIS INTO PRACTICE

1. Rank Your Key Deliverables: Focus on what truly moves the needle and question what falls to the bottom.

2. Set a Time Constraint: Complete tasks in 90% of the time or limit yourself to 90% of the tasks. Tip: Imagine your computer shuts off at a set time.

3. Create a Weekly Focus Block: Start with 2 hours on Friday afternoons for important but non-urgent tasks. Focus on things you consider important but never seem to have time for, like: skill development, networking, or writing an innovation proposal.

4. Gradually Expand: Increase this block to four hours, creating a half-day each week for neglected priorities.

5. Important: Don’t skip key deliverables. Cover new projects but never at the expense of not delivering a core task. Need help cutting 3 hours from your calendar? I have a system. Reply to this email - happy to assist

In the end, the 40-hour workweek may not vanish soon, but you can still make it work for you. If you read this far, you need to share this newsletter to someone. Come on, keep scrolling, it will take a minute…

FORDward and onward,

Jorge Luis Pando