A 4 day work week for Utah’s state workers
Utah will become the first state to institute a 4 day work week for state workers to save money, energy and resources.
However, there are concerns about child care and public transportation that doesn’t run at the later hours, but the overall move is projected to reduce energy use 20% by 2015 as well as improve work-life balance.
As appealing as a 4 day work week sounds, I think it would make my life crazier right now since the additional 2 hours a day would come during the busiest time of my day.
The late afternoon and early evening hours are filled with the homework and dinner rush as well as sports practices, there’s no way I could be away 4 days a week during that time.
I would love to try it, though I wouldn’t be able to do the daycare pickups any more. That would be a loss for me, because it helps me to feel connected. On the other hand, I could spend a whole day with my daughter, just the two of us. It would be nice to try, and saving gas would be a bonus. Unfortunately, I don’t think my employer is going to try it.
I love the idea in concept, but in reality a 10 hour workday would be a DECREASE in hours for me (despite it supposedly being an 8 hr work day)… so what would I have to do… 12 to 14 hours a day for 4 days?
Daycare is always an issue…employees that work 4 days a week often complain that they are so burned out every work day, they usually just use Friday to recover. Check out some other issues to consider regarding condensed work weeks:
http://greatworkplace.wordpress.com
Everybody wins with a 4-day work week. Employers still get their 40 hrs. from staff, employees get to save money from their pocketbooks, and U.S. decreases its dependency on foreign oil. A few inconveniences for babycare is worth it. I wish I could have the option here in Louisiana.
Someone just needs to open a daycare to fit this schedule. If I was in Utah, I would do it!