Live data from Hacker News

Companies ran an experiment: Pay workers their full salary to work fewer days

npr.org

1–10 of 156 posts

Re: Companies ran an experiment: Pay workers their full salary to work fewer days

#7
This won't be valid for everyone, but I'm getting more and more convinced that most (a lot of?) people don't "work" work 40 hours anyway. I'm not even mentally capable of doing 40 intense hours of focussed work. Not saying I don't have other tasks besides coding/thinking in that time, but honestly not for the full slot of time.

It just feels to me like some sort of secret we all share and pretend like it's fine, but being honest and just doing the same stuff in say 32 hours and cutting out the cruft in between would be great.

Or maybe it's just my add that likes a bit more pressure, I don't know. But what I do know is that, even with a very relaxed employer that allows you to take your time and chill, go workout or play a game for an hour, I can't fully relax or disconnect knowing that I'm expected to do those 40 hours, regardless of how often they say it's fine.

Re: Companies ran an experiment: Pay workers their full salary to work fewer days

#8
why would a company agree to pay the same salary for fewer hours of custody?

it reminds me of the macchiavelli quote:

> “How we live is so different from how we ought to live that he who studies what ought to be done rather than what is done will learn the way to his downfall rather than to his preservation.”

productivity study is interesting but that's not how the real world incentives are aligned.

Re: Companies ran an experiment: Pay workers their full salary to work fewer days

#9
What’s interesting to me is that I’ve seen many colleagues and general sentiment towards using your own time off to make work sustainable in this fashion of 4 day work weeks. They sacrifice the ability to disconnect from work with regular 1-2 week vacations however.

Also the increase of sabbatical years tends to show just how unsustainable this can be over a long period. Especially in a stressful position.

I don’t think productivity is the right word to use. I would say efficiency is better. Output vs outcome is important in knowledge work.

Re: Companies ran an experiment: Pay workers their full salary to work fewer days

#10
post #5

From my personal experience Stress free 5 days > Fire fighting for 4 days

Yeah, but Fire fighting for 4 days > Fire fighting for 5 days.

Also stress free for 4 days > stress free for 5 days.
Post reply on HN