Reimagining the Workweek

The origins of the traditional workweek and why 40 hours a week is outdated

Credits: Unsplash

In the early 1800s, the average workweek was roughly 70 hours; however, due to workers’ rights activists and political pressure, it would come closer to about 60 before the end of the century. The proliferation of machinery to complete certain tasks also had a huge impact on the winding down of hours. Additionally, in 1869, President Ulysses S. Grant established an eight hour work day for all federal employees, which would serve as a framework for companies to follow in the subsequent decades.

In 1926, Henry Ford adopted the first 8 hour 5 day work schedule for all his workers at Ford Motors. He realized that his employees were more productive if they were well-rested. Ford also noticed his workers made more mistakes when they were overworked. After a certain point, this costed him more money than it made, so when he cut back the factory workers’ hours, it ultimately increased productivity and boosted profits.

Much like the Industrial Revolution allowed people more leisure time, the technological advances, increased automation, and internet boom should have led to shorter workweeks. Yet, an entire century later, we are still using the 40 hour workweek. In 1930, John Maynard Keynes, perhaps the most renowned economist in history, said that in a hundred years, the workweek…