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Should Malta think about Reducing the Standard Workweek to 35 Hours?
When and who established the 40-hour workweek?
Henry Ford popularized the 40-hour work week in 1926 after discovering via study that working more generated a minor improvement in productivity that lasted for a short time. However, 40 hours wasn’t the standard until the Great Depression. The government believed that by distributing the remaining labour among more individuals, a reduced workweek might help combat the severe unemployment issue. That sparked a series of regulations that made 40 hours the standard workday in America in 1940. The 40-hour work week became legislated in the United States in 1940.
Which EU nations have a 35-hour workweek?
It is typical for French workers to work from 8 to 9 AM to 4 to 5 PM, including an unpaid lunch hour. However, this will change based on the business and corporate agreements. It is necessary to compensate overtime for all hours worked over 35 per week (7 hours per day, five days a week).
The Plural Left administration of Prime Minister Lionel Jospin implemented a labour law reform in France in February 2000 that included the 35-hour workweek. In January 2000, Martine Aubry, the minister of labour, introduced the “Aubry 1” legislation, which was passed in two stages. François Mitterrand created a 39-hour work week under his socialist rule. Due to the dire economic situation, the Socialist Party did not pursue the 35-hour workweek proposal included in their electoral platform, 110 Propositions for France, from 1981.
What are the advantages of working fewer than 40 hours a week?
Research and experiments show that a shorter workweek is a positive organizational benefit that enhances employee wellbeing, decreases stress, and boosts job satisfaction. A well-rested workforce would eventually lead to enhanced productivity and innovation. Additionally, lowering the number of workdays would help employees save money on petrol while reducing traffic congestion and pollution.
According to many studies, employee stress levels decreased by seven per cent while general life satisfaction increased by five per cent. Perhaps most astonishing is that output stayed constant.
Working fewer hours increases productivity in what way?
These findings imply that long working hours boost individual productivity and reduce workplace errors. Workers might achieve this if they recover from exhaustion and arrive at work with more energy and focus.
