From Ford to Forty

Background: This Digest hit your inbox early Monday morning. If you’re inbox goes along with a typical 9-5 job, that means about T-minus 39 hours til the work week ends. But what if it was only T-minus 31 hours?

Senator Bernie Sanders has proposed a 32-hour work week, arguing that it would lead to a better work-life balance, increased productivity, and overall happier employees. In championing the shift, Sanders said American workers are over 400 percent more productive than they were in the 1940s, but largely working the same hours.

Sanders highlighted other countries who have shortened the traditional 40-hour work week, including France with a 35-hour, and Norway with about 37 hours.

Before we shorten from 40, let’s look back at the catalyst behind getting to that number in the first place.

Fact:

The Ford Motor Company had a Sociological Department. The department was created to ensure that employees, many of whom were non-English-speaking immigrants, did not squander their $5 per day wages. Staff from the department would monitor the personal lives of employees. The department also provided hygiene instruction, financial and legal advice, and an English-language school.

Number: 0

In a recent pilot program that saw 41 companies in the United States and Canada switch to a 32-hour work, none of the participating companies expressed a desire to return to a five-day workweek.

Quote: “These are not dreams or idle boasts…Our hope is to double everyone's standard of living in ten years"

-Vice President Richard Nixon, in 1956. Nixon was predicting a 32-hour work week would become common in the “not too distant future.” At the time, many economist agreed that it was just a matter of time before the 40-hour work week was reduced.

Word: Profit sharing

Ford’s wage increase to $5 per day was coined “profit sharing,” which puts a nice spin on things. The reality of working in the plants was anything but nice, though. A letter written to Ford by the wife of an employee highlights some of those conditions, including the expectation that they shouldn’t use the bathroom during their shift.

From the letter: “Are you aware that a man cannot 'Buck Nature' he has to go to the toilet and yet he is not allowed to go at his work”

Some More Numbers:

• 8,000 The number of machines at the Ford Auto Plant in 1915

• 2,500 The gallons of lubricating oils that the factory would use in a day

• 11,000 The gallons of cutting fluids that the factory would use in a day

• 500 Men employed in the “cleaning” department who swept the floors all day

• 25 Men in the painting department who continually painted the walls and ceilings to keep the plant feeling clean.

Recommended Watching: Free Time: The Forgotten American Dream 

Benjamin Kline Hunnicutt examines the way that progress, once defined as more of the good things in life as well as more free time to enjoy them, has come to be understood only as economic growth and more work, forevermore.

(Not and Ad): In a world where work-life balance is not just a luxury but a necessity, the move towards a 32-hour workweek is gaining momentum. Asana is here to ensure that this transition is seamless, efficient, and, most importantly, effective.

With Asana, your team can achieve more in less time. Our intuitive platform allows you to plan, organize, and execute tasks with precision, ensuring that every minute of your workweek counts. From setting clear objectives and deadlines to streamlining communication and reducing meetings, Asana is the tool that adapts to your needs, not the other way around.