This book provides a fresh framework for today’s workplace. We are used to working from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, and take 2 days off on weekends. This job routine seems great, right? It lets us enjoy work-life balance. We won’t burn out. However according to many business researches, workers nowadays are often in deep depression, which are usually caused by work pressures. How come? Many complain about the never-ending workload that takes forever to complete. In order to earn the salary, or even to keep the job, workers must complete assignments on time, correctly, and very quickly! It’s no exaggeration that most people often feel overwhelmed by works.
Capitalism sometimes can be very demanding. It places convenience and profits above all. Therefore, workers are required to function like wheels spinning endlessly. Productivity is the top priority. Sometimes, companies sacrifice workers’ welfare for profits. It could severely damage employees’ morale and sense of belonging. In the worst cases, it may lead to exploitation.
Fortunately, most companies are gradually taking this issue seriously. They come up with initiatives to fix the problem. The book I read here is one nice example! It appeals that workers should enjoy 3 days off every week. That is, you only need to work 4 days a week! At first thought, you may think ‘Is it possible?’ We barely have enough time to finish our work, let alone have one more day off. The good news is that this appeal may be the future of work. It is becoming reality around the world. Companies are trying to put the idea into practice. Governments are revising laws to make it happen. Maybe not far into the future, we may actually enjoy 3 days off each week.
Legendary economist John Maynard Keynes had predicted in 1930 that people in the 21st century would only need to work 15 hours every week due to the advancement of technology. For example, computers enable us to communicate instantly. In theory, we should work a lot less. But technology in some ways increases our work otherwise. As email becomes our way of work, we sit in front of screens over 8 hours replying emails each day. Jokingly, we are kidnapped by emails. Some people receive hundreds of mails per day. Then how is it possible to deal with every mail attentively?
The only solution is to spend more time on your work, and it prolongs your time working non-stop. You must notice the dilemma here. Technology is misused. It doesn’t relieve our workload but essentially makes us busier. There must be something wrong. That is the reason many visionary business experts are advocating for ‘The 4 Day Week’. We should take the control back instead of being slaved by technology.
The author, Andrew Barnes, is an inspiring business leader. Born in New Zealand and educated in Cambridge UK, he spent his 20s working in investment banking. This industry is known for long hours and high pressure. Though he climbed up the corporate ladder successfully, one day he felt empty and wondered what the meaning was for all the work he had done. He later led several financial service companies during his career. He even set up his own trust and legal business, Perpetual Guardian, in New Zealand. In recent years, he devotes his time to promote 4 Day Week, and it makes impacts worldwide. This book is like a manifesto for a new work revolution.
One day after reading an article on The Economist, he thought it would be a great idea if his employees could work only 4 days a week. He talked about it with HR who initially took it as a joke. But Barnes meant it. He hired two academics from top university in New Zealand to carry out the experiment. He launched a pilot project in his company. The result turned out to be positive. They concluded 4 day week was not only possible but beneficial. Employees had more time with family. They could spend more time fulfilling their dreams. Productivity even increased over time.
How is it possible?
Barnes showed us ample evidence in the book. Originated in the 19th century, 5 Day Week was introduced after violent labor movements. People started to work in factories since the industrial revolution. The environment was harsh. So workers formed union to fight for their rights. 5 Day Week was one of the results and it lasted to this day. The structure has not changed since then. Therefore it is a bit outdated. It becomes an unnecessary obligation everyone has to obey. Companies use it as a tool to measure workers’ contribution. Most companies believe the longer hours you devote to your work, the more work you completed. But in fact, longer hours reduce our productivity.
Evidences show most people can only work highly effectively for 2~3 hours per day. We spend the rest of time browsing social media, reading news, watching Youtube, chatting with colleagues, etc. We are distracted most of the time. Interestingly, the design of the office could make us distracted as well. Smart office is trendy, but it can make the office very noisy. We can’t focus when people around us are talking loudly. It is estimated that when we are distracted for a few minutes, we need half an hour to re-focus.
This is why 4 Day Week could change the game. The book provides much advice for companies to adopt. When 4 Day Week becomes the company policy, employees would relish the benefits and work together to carry out the policy. Employees would invent creative ways to stay focus and avoid wasting time. In the long run, everyone gets one more day to cultivate personal life instead of idling away the precious time. 4 Day Week also makes business more sustainable. The cars on the road might reduce more than 20%. It would greatly relieve the burden on mother earth.
As a business professional, I get many insights from this thought-provoking book. I start to reflect on the relation with my work in a new perspective. It makes me think from a top-down approach. It also teaches me how to balance act as an employee. It’s a book worth recommending!
If you are interested but don’t have time, be sure to tune in to Barnes Ted x Talk. It’s a nice summary!
PS. 本書我其實是讀中文版《週休三日工時革命》，但既然用英文寫閱讀心得了，就貼在外文館好了(也有看到其他人用英文寫~)，而且實在沒力氣/沒時間再用中文寫一遍。順便碎念一下"閱讀"這件事...寫書評的CP值真的有待商榷，寫越久越深刻體悟所謂"寫作純粹是自我紀錄"這個道理。以後我應該會多花一些時間用英文寫，但如果是讀中文版我會再註記。有些書籍的主題其實用英文寫反而輕鬆，而且寫完還可以貼到Goodreads和領英，一石三鳥，reach global audience哈哈XD。
天天爆殺 
今日66折 
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