19+ Pros and Cons of Reducing Work Week to 35 Hours (Explained)

A worker or a labourer’s life is not that simple. He explores the various possibilities, benefits, and disadvantages of an employee’s life and knowing all these factors he chooses his own source of employment. “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”: this is a popular saying we’ve used in our daily conversations quite a few times.

This saying basically promotes a working schedule that involves a balanced routine of working hours and calendar holidays. Reducing work week to 35 hours has certain pros and cons that can benefit a worker and also can trouble him. 

Now let us go through some advantages and disadvantages of reducing work week to 35 hours.

AdvantagesDisadvantages
Free TimeExpensive
ProductivityReduced Pay
Reduced StressMore Workload 
Employee SatisfactionNo Fixed Hours
Lower Unemployment Customer Satisfaction
Lower Transportation Cost
Employee Engagement

Advantages of reducing work week to 35 hours:

  • Free Time:

Shorter working hours are always more beneficial. An employee gets more free time and he can utilise the free hours in whichever way he wants. The number of hours one spends with his family increases which leads to the development of a healthier bond among all the family members.

An employee can think of pursuing a hobby or make plans for an upcoming family trip if he gets more free time. Hence, reducing work week to 35 hours is time-saving and extremely convenient. 

  • Productivity:

Once boredom doesn’t bother you anymore by working for longer hours, you naturally tend to become more productive both in your professional life as well as in your personal life. You experience a thirst for working harder and better.

As many hours you spend in your office, you try to make use of that time as efficiently as your health permits. As a result your performance strikingly improves and you form a better professional relationship with your employer. 

  • Reduced Stress:

Job life offers you unbearable stress that you can’t escape all the time. But, with shorter working hours, the physical and mental stress that you generally experience, reduces remarkably. You can finally focus on your projects and deadlines do not scare you anymore.

Numerous statistical reports are of the opinion that extreme stress in job life can affect one’s personal relationships as well. But with lesser working hours, you can deal with this problem better. Hence, one’s engagement with his family improves. 

  • Employee Satisfaction:

An industry can run smoothly when its employees are satisfied with their job environment. If the working hours are reduced, employees tend to become more productive, they can finally concentrate on their savings, spend more quality time with their families and become more satisfied with the kind of projects they take up.

More satisfaction leads to better performance and increase in sales. Also, if an employee is satisfied with his working hours and job profile, he can get promoted frequently and that’ll boost his morale as well. So, in every way it’s a win-win situation. 

  • Lower Unemployment:

With reduced working hours, employees remain satisfied and this reduces unemployment. Also, working for lesser hours is a lucrative offer which can attract talented job candidates.

Employers can recruit employees who are suitable for their jobs and with all the perks and benefits these employees do not feel like resigning from their posts. As a result, a company can raise its asset turnover ratio. This also improves the quintessential employer-employee relationship. 

  • Lower Transportation Cost:

If a company reduces work week to 35 hours, it generally has a tendency to set up a 4-day working week. Shorter hours involve lesser carbon footprint and reduces overall transportation costs. Therefore, it promotes environmental welfare as well. 

  • Employee Engagement:

Even if a company reduces its working hours, it can assign one to the same number of projects. But since the employees are already satisfied with the 35-hour working week, he tends to become more enthusiastic about being engaged in various team projects.

An employee, with reduced working hours, may be willing to work more and that can improve his engagement with his colleagues and project supervisors.  

Disadvantages of reducing work week to 35 hours:

  • Expensive:

Setting up an entirely new schedule with reduced working hours can be expensive for some small-scale industries. This whole process requires an elaborate planning and if it affects a company’s turnover, then the company may suffer from a huge loss. 

  • Reduced Pay:

Every company doesn’t have the resource or infrastructure to maintain the same salary structure with reduced working hours. If the pay reduces, an employee may lose interest and can think of resigning from his post. Reduced pay can affect his performance and productivity as well. 

  • More Workload:

With longer working hours, an employee is certain about meeting his fixed deadlines. But, with shorter working hours, the workload can increase to a great extent and shorter working hours, especially during these occasional emergencies, may suffocate an employee.

This may lead to poor performance or extension of deadlines. This can affect the employee-employer relationship as well. 

  • No Fixed Hours:

In many industries, this 35-hour work week doesn’t establish any fixed working hours. This can affect one’s productivity because an employee generally gets accustomed to a fixed working schedule.

If the schedule is not systematically designed, his performance may deteriorate. This can severely affect his family life as well because if there are no fixed working hours, he cannot dedicate a fixed time of the day solely for his family. 

  • Customer Satisfaction:

Lesser working hours may satisfy the employer and all the employees, but the customers may suffer. If a bank reduces work week to 35 hours, it may remain closed on a week day and that can bother its visitors. 

Despite certain obvious disadvantages, reducing work week to 35 hours promotes a healthier professional environment in many industries. If these loopholes can be avoided, then it is indeed a productive measure especially for those who pursue some other hobbies or need to spend some quality time with their family members.  

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