Jason Baskind - Health Insurance Specialist’s Post

Let's remember that the 40-hour work week did not emerge overnight. It resulted from decades of labor activism, governmental legislation, and shifts in societal values. During the Industrial Revolution, work hours were extremely long, often exceeding 12-16 hours per day, six days a week. Workers, including children, faced grueling conditions in factories, mines, and mills with little regulation for safety or hours. A landmark change occurred in 1914 when Ford Motor Company unilaterally reduced its workers' hours from 9 to 8 per day and doubled their pay, moving towards a 40-hour work week. Henry Ford believed that shorter hours would lead to more efficient workers and create more leisure time, thereby increasing consumer spending. The significant legislative push towards a 40-hour work week in the United States came with the New Deal in the 1930s. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 set the maximum standard work week to 44 hours (amended in 1940 to the now-familiar 40 hours) and introduced overtime pay. Innovations in AI and automation may make a 32-hour work week possible without complex trade-offs, but businesses need more time to adopt these technologies and see their impacts. I see the 32-hour work week as eventual, 5 to 10 years away. What do you think? #ai #automaiton #work #history

IS YOUR WORK WEEK ABOUT TO GET SHORTER? The 40-hour workweek has been the standard in the United States for more than 80 years. Now some members of Congress, led by good ol Bernie Sanders, are fighting to give hourly workers an extra day off. Last week, Senator Bernie Sanders introduced a bill that would shorten the threshold for mandatory overtime pay from 40+ hours in a week to 32+ hours in a week. He cited advancements in AI, automation, and robotics to argue that companies can afford to give their employees an extra day off without reducing their pay or benefits. Bernie actually makes some good points! Some experts expect the implementation of AI in the workplace to boost productivity by up to 50%. A 2022 study by a team of university researchers and the nonprofit 4 Day Week Global found that 71% of workers were less burned out and roughly 50% were more satisfied with their jobs overall when they only worked 4 days/week. Who doesn’t love 3-day weekends?!? 80% of companies from the study reported revenue growth attributed to the change in hours worked. Critics say mandating a shorter week would force companies to hire more workers and lose money, specifically in industries like manufacturing where hands-on work is required. Sanders says the regulations would be phased in over 4 years, giving companies plenty of time to adapt and reorganize. So what do you all think? Is reducing the standard workweek to 32 hours a good idea?

When we say that treating your workers better will increase your company's bottom line, we mean it. And the proof keeps coming in: >> Staff turnover fell 39% during the period extending from January 2023 through March 2024. >> Employee commitment to the job, motivation, mental and physical health all showed significant improvements. >> The trial saved the council more than $475,000 over the course of the program. And workers were more engaged. Whether it's a 4-day work week, better scheduling or simply adopting paid sick days, there are many ways businesses benefit from better employee programs. 🔗 - https://lnkd.in/gUM2ryVz

AI Makes 32-Hour Workweek Possible, Says @Rep. Mark Takano by Jack Kelly Forbes The global movement toward a 32-hour workweek is gaining traction in the United States with an endorsement by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont). Last Wednesday, Sanders introduced the Senate companion bill to Rep. Mark Takano’s (D-Calif.) Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act that would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act, reducing the standard workweek from 40 hours to 32, and lower the maximum hours threshold for overtime pay for non-exempt employees. In a Zoom interview, Takano, a senior member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, talked about how the push for an abbreviated workweek is gaining ground due to the ascendancy of AI. He cited “public openness” from major public figures and business leaders, like former President Barack Obama, JPMorgan CEO and MicrosoftMSFT 0.0% founder Bill Gates. “Technology has brought humanity to a place where we can ask the question, ‘How much time does everyone need to work?’” Takano said about harnessing technological advancements. “The shorter workweek is about the greater happiness of humankind. We have choices to make as a society about whether we are going to allow technology to put us in the service of it or whether it really serves all of us, and I mean all of us.” https://lnkd.in/eBfXgAnZ 

"In 2022, a team of university researchers and the nonprofit 4 Day Week Global enlisted 61 companies to reduce working hours for six months without cutting wages. Afterward, 71 percent of the 2,900 workers said they were less burned out, and nearly half reported being more satisfied with their jobs. Meanwhile, 24 of the participating companies reported revenue growth of more than 34 percent over the prior six months. " It's not a new idea, but every time I read about a 32-hour workweek, I think, "Yes!" Several countries have implemented four-day workweeks or capped hours and haven't seen drops in productivity. While I understand this isn't the solution for every industry, I will always applaud the desire to protect people's well-being over capitalism's relentless push for "more, more, more" at the worker's expense.

Work is undeniably a crucial part of life, necessary for survival and sustenance. However, it's only a piece of the puzzle when we consider the entirety of our existence. When we step back and look at life as a whole, we see that there's so much more beyond the confines of the workplace. Also, our bodies and minds need time to recharge after putting in hours at work. Let's face it, work comes in many shapes and sizes. I can't even begin to imagine the toll it takes on someone who's out there doing physical labour for eight hours straight, day in and day out, with pay that doesn't quite match the effort they're putting in. We're living in a world driven by capitalism, where the bottom line often takes precedence over everything else. But what's the cost? Are we sacrificing our well-being in the pursuit of profit? It's important to remember that behind every job, there's a human being with their own limits and needs. Many people clock in long hours not because they love what they do but because they have bills to pay and mouths to feed. If they had a choice, they'd probably opt for something that gives them more fulfilment and balance in life. In this age of technology, we have the tools to work smarter, not harder. It's about finding/ learning ways to use technology to make our work more efficient and effective, freeing up time for the things that truly matter – creativity, innovation, and personal growth.

Did you that Germany is launching a 6 month trial of 4 day work week from Feb 1??? Germany’s struggle to revive its sluggish economy is about to take an experimental turn as a host of companies test out the merits of working less. A 6 month program starting Feb. 1 will grant a day off every week for hundreds of employees while keeping them on full pay. The study aims to find out if labor unions are right that it could not only leave staff healthier and happier, but also more productive. About 45 companies in Germany will trial a four-day work week to measure any productivity gains from working fewer hours. The imbalance is fueling employer-employee tensions. Germany’s train drivers are currently holding a six-day strike, demanding that Deutsche Bahn cut the work week to 35 hours from 38 hours without any wage reduction. What do you think about the 4 day week policy?? Do you think it will increase the productivity of their workers?? Comment below Found this interesting?? Follow Jugl for more #productivity Insights & News!! #4dayweek #germany #employeeengagement #latestnews

We should be working more — not less, says insolvency expert Brendan Giles. In a LinkedIn post, he said he didn't understand the "war on work" being waged, from pushes for shorter weeks to rules around a 'right to disconnect' from work. He explained that based on the hours worked by an average employee over their lifetime, less than 12% was spent in their jobs. Trying to reduce work hours was "making it ever harder for businesses to maximise the productivity of their staff and attract the international talent they need, which isn't how you build a healthy, world class economy", he said. Do you agree? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Share your idea of the day on any topic to get people talking. Click this link to write your #IOTD post for a chance to be featured by LinkedIn News Australia: https://lnkd.in/df7Sr3dX

PEOPLE ARE ANGRY AND LOSING IT OVER THIS LINKEDIN POST! Read ‘What’s Happening’ and ‘My Take’ below. Then, be creative and comment on how this can work. WHAT’S HAPPENING Senator Bernie Sanders is recommending that employees move toward a 32-hour workweek over four years and lower the threshold for them to start receiving overtime pay. The LinkedIn reaction has been mostly negative with people responding mostly emotionally, partisan and stating this concept can’t work. Coincidentally, the Wall Street Journal just published an article about how some employers are offering promotions in title and responsibility only without any commitments to increasing pay. The LinkedIn reaction had positive comments stating it was a good way for employees to gain experience with hopes for future opportunities. MY TAKE I love to go into ‘problem solving mode’ and identify solutions that are not obvious rather than stick within a paradigm. It adds value to society and shows concern for others. The issue with simply stating something can’t work without doing deep analysis is that the mind shuts down and doesn’t try to find a solution. When leading high performance teams for a Fortune 50 company, I learned that measuring outputs, such as high quality timely deliverables, was critical for a company to be profitable. Measuring inputs, such as number of hours worked, were meaningless as it encouraged ‘attendance taking’ and discouraged creativity. Outputs have increased dramatically due to technological advances, automation, and AI; however, compensation hasn’t kept pace. Furthermore, large employers have been laying off people while increasing the workload and hours on the remaining staff without increasing pay. Notably, corporate profits are increasing as well as senior management compensation. SO, WHAT IF IT COULD WORK? 1. Give an example of an industry that could use new solutions (technology, automation, AI, new processes, etc.) to increase productivity, and therefore, afford to compensate employees using a 32 hour workweek within the next 4 years? 2. What might those solutions look like? Please comment below. P.S. Alternatively, some employees may benefit from a 4 day workweek with 9 or 10 hour days. https://lnkd.in/eQ-wkzR3 Empowered Community, Inc. #worklifebalance #berniesanders #fourdayworkweek #productivity #compensation #economics #socialpolicy #automation #ai #technology

As I scroll through my LinkedIn feed today, I notice many professionals celebrating Labor Day, prompting a question: Are your companies still solely focused on the foundational principles of labor rights, from safe and decent working conditions, fair wages, to the eight-hour workday? or Are your companies upgraded to play a crucial role in promoting work-life balance by offering flexible work arrangements, nurturing a supportive work culture, and encouraging employees to prioritize their well-being? Happy Labor Day!! #LaborDay #WorkLifeBalance #FlexibleWork #SupportiveCulture #EmployeeWellBeing