What do Denmark, Norway, and Sweden all have in commonâbesides being the happiest countries in the world? They all have standard 30-hour work week schedule, which explains why theyâre so happy all the time. Employees in these countries work right at or less than 30 hours a week full time or part time, and still manage to collect a healthy salary (among the highest annual salaries in the world at that). But many countries, including the United States, are hesitant to implement such a concept.
While the idea of a 30-hour (or 4-day) workweek schedule is intriguing, actually implementing one is a whole other story. But why? A shorter workweek has become increasingly more realistic, with the advancement of technology, apps, software, and programs that are specifically designed to increase productivityânot to mention countless data studies that conclude productivity peaks at 30 hours of work. Yet itâs still a somewhat foreign concept.
If youâre considering a shorter workweek for your company, weigh these pros and cons before making a decision.
Working 30 hours a week instead of the standard 40 hours is an idea that more companies are considering or implementing. While it may seem too good to be true for employees, reduced work hours come with both advantages and drawbacks for workers. Companies also have to weigh up productivity gains against the costs of having workers on duty for fewer hours.
What Is a 30-Hour Work Week?
A 30-hour work week allows employees to work fewer hours per week than the standard 40-hour schedule. Often they can keep 75% of their salary and earn full benefits.
With a 30-hour schedule, employees might work shorter days Monday through Friday. For example, 6 hour days instead of 8 hours. Or they could work four normal length days and have Fridays off.
Some companies allow employees flexibility in when they work their hours So one week an employee might do 75 hour days Monday through Thursday and have Friday off. The next week they could work 6 hour days Monday through Friday.
The Origin of 40-Hour Work Weeks
The 40 hour work week has been standard in the U.S. for over 80 years. But the notion of 8 hours of work 8 hours of leisure, and 8 hours of rest each day came from Welsh industrialist and labor rights activist Robert Owen in the early 19th century.
In the 1930s, President Franklin D. Roosevelt enacted the Fair Labor Standards Act. This legislation made 40 hours a week the standard American work schedule by 1940. The law aimed to fight exploitative working hours that had become common.
Pros of a 30-Hour Work Week for Employees
More Free Time
The most obvious advantage of a 30-hour work week for employees is having more free time. An extra 8 hours each week could be liberating. Workers would have more time for hobbies, friends and family, exercise, or taking care of personal errands.
Flexible Schedules
Depending on how the 30-hour week is implemented, employees might have flexible start and finish times. For example, commuters could avoid rush hour. Parents may schedule their hours around school drop-offs and pickups. Employees can work when they feel most productive during the day.
Improved Health
Studies show working more than 40 hours per week increases stress and negatively affects physical and mental health. Having two more days off per week or shorter days could improve overall well-being. People would have time to exercise, relax, and sleep more.
Better Work-Life Balance
With a 30-hour schedule, work takes up less of an employee’s time. This can make it easier to meet family responsibilities or pursue hobbies and passions outside of work. People report higher satisfaction when work doesn’t dominate their lives.
Cons of a 30-Hour Work Week for Employees
Lower Pay
Unless salaries stay the same, reduced hours will mean smaller paychecks for employees. Some people wouldn’t be able to afford basic living expenses with a 25% or more drop in earnings. Even salaried employees may face lower pay.
Higher Stress
Trying to get the same amount of work done in 30 hours instead of 40 could increase on-the-job stress. Employees would have to be highly efficient and productive during their shortened work time. Meetings and interruptions would cut into productive time more.
Being Overloaded
Some employees may end up working more than 30 hours many weeks to finish everything. While a shorter schedule is the ideal, the reality could mean longer hours but with correspondingly lower pay.
Possible Loss of Benefits
If 30 hours a week is newly defined as part-time work, employees who drop below full-time hours could lose access to benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, and paid vacation time.
Pros of a 30-Hour Week for Employers
Happier, More Engaged Workers
Numerous studies show employees are more satisfied, engaged, empowered and committed when working shorter weeks. Happier workers provide all kinds of benefits for companies.
Increased Efficiency
Experiments with shorter weeks find employees use their time more efficiently. They find ways to become more productive and get the same work done in less time. Meetings become more focused and less time is wasted on non-work activities.
Competitive Advantage
A 30-hour work week could give companies an edge in attracting and retaining top talent, especially in a tight job market. Employees perceive a shorter schedule as a highly desirable perk.
Lower Operating Costs
With fewer hours worked each week, overhead costs go down. Companies would save on utilities like electricity and gas. They may also reduce spending on snacks, office supplies and other operational expenses.
Cons of a 30-Hour Week for Employers
Decreased Productivity
For many jobs, cramming the same workload into 30 hours would be impossible. Quality, production levels, or both would fall. Customers may receive slower service or inferior products.
Disruption of Operations
Having employees work fewer hours could leave gaps in coverage during regular business operating times. Companies may need to hire more staff to ensure someone is always available when needed.
Higher Labor Costs
If salaried employees retain the same compensation for working 30 hours, labor costs per hour would increase 25%. Hourly workers may expect correspondingly higher hourly wages.
Implementing Flex Schedules
Allowing employees flexible start and end times can make managing difficult. Supervisors would have less ability to schedule meetings at convenient times when everyone is working.
Is the 40-Hour Work Week Ending?
While few companies so far offer a 30-hour schedule, more provide flexible hours and remote work options. Technology makes it easier than ever to offer varied schedules rather than standard daytime hours five days a week.
As younger generations entering the workforce highly value flexibility and work-life balance, employers may continue shifting away from traditional 9 to 5, five-day office-based work models.
But for many industries, reducing hours below 40 per week remains impractical. The 40-hour model lets companies smoothly operate Monday through Friday. Most offices need coverage during regular business hours.
Still, employees today have more options than ever before to choose companies and careers offering the work styles and schedules they desire. The future may see far more diversity in how people choose to work.
Full Time 30 hour workweek pros
As mentioned above, countless studies have shown that employee productivity peaks at about 30 hours per week. So what level of work are you getting from your employees after theyâve reached that threshold? Sure, your team might be able to produce more if they worked those extra 10 hours a week, but if it doesnât pass quality standards and requires a heavy lift for rework, was it worth it?
More hours worked doesnât necessarily mean better productivity. There are many companies that already understand that concept, and post on job boards like 30 Hour Jobs to find employees who believe a shorter week can lead to increased productivity and higher job satisfaction.
Amazon made headlines back in 2016 for a new policy it implemented that allowed some employees to work 30 hours a week, but with a lower salary and no change to benefits. This is something you could consider for your team, too. Would you (and your employees) be willing to cut pay by 25% in order to work fewer hours per week? Maybe.
Although the point of the 30-hour week isnât to work fewer hours for less moneyâthe idea should be that employees receive their same payâit is a more realistic option for companies looking to give the concept a try.
Work is stressful. Thereâs really no way around it. Some days it can be great and everything runs smoothly, and some days it seems like absolutely nothing is going right. Thereâs a correlation between how many hours you put into your job every week and your health. People who work excessive hours are more prone to things like depression, stroke, heart conditionsâwhich is awful for your employees and expensive for your insurance.
People want to feel like they have a healthy level of work-life balance, and from the employee standpoint, a 30-hour week schedule would certainly help tilt the scale in favor of more life experience. Working 10 fewer hours per week can give employees the flexibility and opportunity to try new things, travel more, collect experiences, and ultimately allow them to take those learnings and bring them back to your company.
As counterintuitive as it may sound, working fewer hours per week might be the key to success for your employees and your business.
As with anything good, there are cons too. Here are a few things to consider when toying with the idea of a 30-hour workweek schedule.
30 hour work week means less working timeÂ
The most obvious con of a 30-hour workweek is less time spent, well, working. When you chop your traditional 40-hour week down by 10 hours, thereâs simply less time spent working. However, we already know that productivity peaks at 30 hours per week, so how quality is the work your employees are doing after that 30-hour peak?
Aside from less time spent in the office, simply being unavailable for when things do come up can be problematic for your growing business. Some projects take longer to execute, regardless of how productive your employees are in executing them.
In a world of near-constant interaction and accessibility, cutting down your working time by 10 hours means your time to answer questions, troubleshoot, or meet with customers is cut down too.
If you offer robust customer service or customer success, you might be limiting the hours that your customers can interact with you. This could cause customers to wait an extra day or two before hearing back about a major problem, which is bad for business and customer longevity.
If your whole team is around less often and grinding during their 30-hour week schedule to finish their work, it might leave less time for team members to interact with each other on a personal or professional level. Employees can get so caught up during their 4-day week trying to close out all their projects that they become siloed in their own space. Not communicating frequently or effectively with other team members can cause frustration, uncertainty, or more questions than answers.
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What do Denmark, Norway, and Sweden all have in commonâbesides being the happiest countries in the world? They all have standard 30-hour work week schedule, which explains why theyâre so happy all the time. Employees in these countries work right at or less than 30 hours a week full time or part time, and still manage to collect a healthy salary (among the highest annual salaries in the world at that). But many countries, including the United States, are hesitant to implement such a concept.
While the idea of a 30-hour (or 4-day) workweek schedule is intriguing, actually implementing one is a whole other story. But why? A shorter workweek has become increasingly more realistic, with the advancement of technology, apps, software, and programs that are specifically designed to increase productivityânot to mention countless data studies that conclude productivity peaks at 30 hours of work. Yet itâs still a somewhat foreign concept.
If youâre considering a shorter workweek for your company, weigh these pros and cons before making a decision.
Why A 30 Hour Work Week Is The Future
FAQ
Is 30 hours a week a full time job?
What is it called when you work 30 hours a week?
How many work days is 30 hours a week?
Is 30 hours a week 4 days?
Should the work week be reduced to 30 hours?
A 30-hour work week also could appeal to more parents who already struggle with the responsibilities of having a career and running a household. A shortened schedule offered to employees also can prevent burnout and disengagement in workers by offering them more time to recuperate and enjoy life.
Can the 30 hour work week fit your business?
You’ll need to make sure the quality of work doesn’t suffer. While a 30-hour work week may not be realistic for you, the business owner, you might find that being at the office 30 hours and spending more time away improves your results. Even if you are working, you’ll be able to focus better and strategize the big picture.
Is 30 hours considered full time?
The IRS and the ACA, or Obamacare, both prescribe guidelines for full-time employment. According to the IRS, an employee is considered full-time if they: The ACA has the same designation — employees who work over 30 hours a week are considered full-time.
Is working 30 hours a week full time?
Many employers now consider employees as full-time when they work fewer hours (i.e., over 30 hours, 35 hours, or 37.5 hours). Under the ACA, employees who work 30 or more hours per week are entitled to health insurance; however, beyond that, companies may set whatever standard they like for full-time compensation and other benefits. 2
