Should Americans be working less? Sen. Bernie Sanders thinks so. Earlier this year, Sanders (I-VT) introduced legislation calling for a 32-hour work week with “with no loss of pay,” according to a press release from his office.
The Senator argued many Americans are working “longer hours for lower wages than they were decades ago.” A shorter work week, in his view, will lead to a better quality of life and less stress.
Impact on Productivity?
One recent study from the University of Cambridge showed that a lower work week yielded happier employees. “The findings suggest that a four-day week significantly reduces stress and illness in the workforce, and helps with worker retention,” the University reported. According to the study, there was barely a reduction in revenue.
However, not every industry might be suited for this type of experiment. Dr. Robert Kennedy, professor of Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas, told Drew Mariani that the United States is too complex a country to implement this policy in every sector. “For every industry in the country, the problems are different.” On Kennedy’s view, “these kinds of one size fits all remedies are unlikely to be successful.”
The Economic Problem
Jonah Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Dispatch, argued that Sanders’ plan doesn’t make economic sense. “Even for businesses that could afford this, the rise in payroll would be an onerous tax, the cost of which would have to be passed on to consumers.”
Small Businesses
A 32-hour work week would be devastating for small businesses, one caller told Drew. “If you’re telling the owners who operate on a shoestring budget that they have to hire more employees and pay certain ones, 40 hours for only working 32, you basically just destroyed a lot of small businesses in this country.”
Technology and Work
Even if the 32-hour work week isn’t implemented, technology has already reshaped how some businesses operate. “Think about how many stores have self-checkout,” Kennedy told Drew. “If we make employment too expensive, businesses are going to find a way around it.”
Listen to the full conversation here.
