The movement toward establishing a shorter workweek began back in the 19th century, when it was common for people to work 6 to 7 days a week for 10 to 14 hours a day. The notion that people should labor less arose from a variety of variables, including humanitarian motives, economic considerations, and improvements in productivity:
- Labor movements: Trade unions and labor organizations led the fight to reduce the workweek in order to protect workers from oppressive labor conditions and promote work-life balance.
- Industrial Revolution: As industrial economies grew, workers started to question lengthy working hours and advocated for more leisure time and fairer working circumstances.
-Productivity Growth: As efficiency increased and technology advanced, businesses realized that workers were more effective and productive when they worked fewer hours. With decreased work hours, they experienced gains in employee satisfaction, lower accident rates, and improved workplace morale.
- Social Reform Movements: Social reformers and progressives supported the concept of shorter workweek to enhance the quality of life for workers, allow for more leisure and educational opportunities, and decrease social problems linked to long working hours, such as poverty and poor living standards.
-Labor Agreements and Legislation: Through labor agreements and legislation, the fight to reduce the workweek eventually bore fruit. The initial legislation limiting working hours was aimed at specific sectors, such as women and children, but over time, these regulations were extended to most occupations. Governments created labor rules that established a maximum workweek and gave employees the right to rest days and paid vacations.
-Influence of Ford Motor Company: In 1926, Henry Ford astounded the world by introducing a five-day workweek and an eight-hour work day at the Ford Motor Company, going beyond the conventional six-day workweek still in use at the time. Due to the increase in productivity, worker morale, and purchasing power it produced, this move was praised as a business triumph and had a considerable influence on other companies.
-World War II and Post-War Era: The demands for shorter workweeks escalated during World War II, as women stepped into the workforce to fill the positions of men who were fighting. Following the war, employees continued to advocate for shorter working hours as part of the expanding labor rights and improved living standards.
-Gradual Adoption: The five-day workweek was not universally accepted as quickly, though. Numerous firms and industries continued to operate on longer workweeks for several years. The move to a five-day workweek developed over time, supported by ongoing negotiations between labor unions and management, governmental rules, and cultural changes.
As a result of the combined actions of labor unions, social reformers, legislation, and rising corporate consciousness, the five-day workweek ultimately emerged as the standard worldwide. It signaled a significant cultural change and a victory in the fight for workers' rights and a better balance between work and personal lives.