The Case for a Four Day Week

Not so long ago, people thought that a ten-hour, six-day week was normal; now, it’s the eight-hour, five-day week. Will that soon be history too? In this book, three leading experts argue why it should be. They map out a pragmatic pathway to a shorter working week that safeguards earnings for the lower-paid and keeps the economy flourishing. They argue that this radical vision will give workers time to be better parents and carers, allow men and women to share paid and unpaid work more equally, and help to save jobs – and create new ones – in the post-pandemic era. Not only that, but it will combat stress and illness caused by overwork and help to protect the environment. This is essential reading for anyone who has ever felt they could live and work a lot better if all weekends were three days long.

1 Introduction Where did ‘normal’ come from? Economic developments Cultural developments We can change what is ‘normal’ Notes 2 Why We Need a Shorter Working Week Health and wellbeing Distributions of work and time Paid and unpaid labour Gender relations Transforming childcare Co-producing public services Taking control and enriching democracy Safeguarding the environment Notes 3 Some Challenges Will a shorter working week mean that people can’t choose? Is leisure more sustainable? What about pay? Is a shorter working week bad for the economy? Rethinking the goals of the economy Notes 4 Learning from Practical Experience State-led interventions Negotiated agreements at sector and workplace levels Employers’ initiatives Learning from practical experience Notes 5 A Road Map for Transition Preparing the ground Supporting innovation Strengthening and extending existing entitlements Changing the climate of opinion Embedding change and building momentum Notes In Conclusion Index