Discover this podcast and so much more

Podcasts are free to enjoy without a subscription. We also offer ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more for just $11.99/month.

Is the 4-day workweek the solution we've been looking for?

Is the 4-day workweek the solution we've been looking for?

FromThe Policy Nerd, by UNESCO


Is the 4-day workweek the solution we've been looking for?

FromThe Policy Nerd, by UNESCO

ratings:
Length:
39 minutes
Released:
Jan 31, 2024
Format:
Podcast episode

Description

Juliet Schor, Sociology Professor at Boston College and a bestselling author, says the traditional approaches to work need redesigning. The case she makes is for a reduction of the workweek from five to four days with no pay cut. Juliet has been trialling it around the world – including Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, the UK and the US – and brings concrete data on its benefits for both the employees and the companies. Employees report less stress, lower burnout rates, improved physical and mental health, and greater job satisfaction. As for the companies, productivity and profitability go up, turnover and absenteeism go down, and talent and applicant attraction improve. While positive, these results come from trials that have been, so far, concentrated in certain industries and set-ups. To scale up and reap the full benefits of a 4-day week, companies and governments need to embrace broader measures – e.g., internal reorganisation of processes, work redesign, incentives and possible subsidies to stimulate uptake across industries and countries. How do we make it happen? Find answers in her discussion with UNESCO 's Iulia Sevciuc.
Released:
Jan 31, 2024
Format:
Podcast episode

Titles in the series (29)

Welcome to the Policy Nerd podcast by the UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab. This is the place where top thinkers come to talk concrete data and debate policy solutions that would reset us along a more equitable and smarter path.