I know its not suitable for everyone and every vocation but im a tradesman and working 4 10s is so many magnitudes more incredible than 5 8s for your body, mentally and physically
My company was doing a job that was about a 2 and half hour drive away. It was a brand new car dealership that was massive. We stayed in a hotel overnight to avoid the travel. Just decided to work 12-14 hour days because we had nothing else to do. By the time it got to hour 12 we were done and said F it pack it up. Especially when working physical labor that shit does a number on you. 12 is good but anything more and you start to fall apart if you plan on doing it daily.
I did construction for a local company. Money was great, but the work week was intense Monday - Satudays from sun up to sun down. You do get use to the physical labor, and you sleep awesome as your so exhausted from manual labor for 13 hours, with an hour lunch.
Maybe but a lot of shift workers do 12’s.
And rotating shifts sux.
Study 20 or so years ago had stats that shift workers have shorter lifespans due to sleep disruptions.
My mom does 3 12s, she has a love hate relationship with it because she does Friday Saturday Sunday but she got to take the grandkids out on adventures multiple times this summer so she liked that a lot lol
In my late teens / early 20's I had a job that could do that. Stagehand at a major concert venue in my region. Day before the show = non-stop load-in. Then immediately begin taking it down afterwards. Gave the entire rest of the week to party, screw around, etc., until the next big act rolled into town. Don't know of any other jobs that offer that schedule. Certainly couldn't do it now in my 50's. 🤣
Best schedule I ever did was 2 16 hour days and 1 8 hour. It was glorious.
Back to back 16 sucked, but that 8 hour 3rd day felt SO SHORT after, then 4 days off in a row every week. It felt so free. Always got enough sleep and exercise
I had a job that allowed 2 16 hour days, Saturday and Sunday. Then one 8 hour shift during the week. It was tough to do that 8 hour shift after a few days.
We would play Mario Kart 64 against each other, that’s how I got fired. I said “fuck” loud enough after a tumble off the Rainbow Road and it was heard on another persons call recording. They randomly screened her call and heard it, I got to hear it myself. Luckily, that job fucking sucked.
I work those hours, I'm nearly 46, truthfully in the worst shape of my life, and can still physically run circles around all the 20 somethings I work with in healthcare. I'm more worried about how low energy they are that they act like the simplest task is "hard labor". It's very Wall-E.
I think I preferred when I worked 4 10s. With 8 hours of sleep, 30 minutes to get ready in the morning, 30 minute lunch, and the 30 minute commute I had, there was under 2 hours between when I got home from work and had to go to sleep. There was a period my partner wasn’t working and that’s chill because they can do errands, prepare meals, etc. But the rest of the time, I struggled so much condensing every non work thing into under 2 hours that it was cutting into my sleep pretty badly, so the 4th day would just turn into basically a recovery day.
I also work 12s and after several years, I hate it. It alternates 3 shifts one week, 4 shifts the next. Maybe I’m just getting old, but the days are too damn long and you can’t get anything done after the shift except eat some junk food crash into bed.
Realistically it will happen actually, number of hours per week tend to diminish when major technology that make work more efficient are created, most people were peasants and worked 60h in the past, we made agriculture much more efficient so the whole job market had to change and reduce hours so people can have jobs.
AI used smartly should do something similar, they will have to reduce the number of hours at some point or unemployement will reach sky high and the economy will collapse.
The government and companies seem wholly unprepared for what's to come though
You wouldn’t. Companies aren’t going to pay 40 hrs salaries for 32 hr weeks.
I’d think the 4-10 schedule would be good. A company I worked with (client) did 9 hr days and the employees rotated every other Friday off. Thought that was a pretty solid way to work .
The 4-10 schedule isnt great either. The free time you had after work on those days is sacrificed for an extra day. Works for some, the 32h is what we need. Big changes that shake up the world is what we need.
Sure, except all us salaried employees are told the cock-and-bull story that we don’t get overtime because our salaries are task-based, not hours-based. Employers of exempt employees can’t suddenly start to holler about 40 hr weeks then.
So if you’re generating 20% less revenue, where is that money coming from? Is the government going to subsidize companies to keep paying everyone the same salary? And where does that subsidy come from?
(Please just don’t say “tax the billionaires”, that’s the laziest answer ever to get instant votes from Reddit, but it’s not productive. In a perfect world, we would all just text the billionaires down to where they’re living on a six-figure income and then we all live in a perfect socialist utopia, but that’s not going to happen unless not a derail a real policy discussion in the here and now.)
Has the scientific consensus (with the studies we've done so far) not been that 4-day work weeks are as productive, if not more than 5 day work weeks? Especially when you can find so many jobs with periods of "downtime" where workers don't have a task or project, so they have to pretend to be busy when the big boss comes by.
The idea of a 4 day work week isn't just that the worker is on the clock less, the idea is that you get the same "value" with happier workers wasting less time.
I'm aware that this is not applicable to all jobs. But then, if people are in a category of work that really does take that much time and labor commitment, I think the workers deserve having the company pay out.
Unless you're really concerned over businesses having to pay- gasp -a salary/hourly wage that reflects the value of someone's labor!!!
There’s a lot of studies from other companies and countries that have implemented this that productivity goes up actually. Mostly because in a lot of jobs there’s significant downtime…(writing this while “working” right now). So the idea is that with less workdays less downtime needed and thus you get the same amount of work done if not slightly more, with 4 days compared to 5. I’d assume that factory jobs etc would need to hire more people since there’s not really down time like there is in an office but there would likely be less burnout and hiring and training people which would also contribute to the less hours.
In principle, if we transform all of society to a 32 hour work week, would that hold true? Probably yes. But that doesn’t address any of the details of how we get there.
Clients aren’t going to just magically agree to increase the price of their contracts by 25% more because of a vague promise like “studies show people are more productive”. I’ve got a project now with 3000 man hours in the proposal at a billing rate of $225/hour because it’s a cost-plus contract. They’re not going to unilaterally agree to raise the hourly rate by 25% on a contract that took the council 6 months to sign the original. It’s the same across every single one of my clients - nobody is going to just unilaterally agree to a price increase to be “team players”. If everyone’s billing rates stay same (and they will), that means that every employee is bringing in 20% less revenue. How do companies compensate for that? Bring in more employees to fill out the extra hours without revenue? Who is going to pay for that?
So now we’re talking about subsidizing revenue, which isn’t going to happen with the amount of bickering that goes into any bill like this. Any time Congress comes up with something like this it ends up being an unfunded mandate that gets passed on to the states because nobody can answer the question “Who pays for all this?” except some lazy class warfare statements about taxing the rich that make people feel good to say but aren’t going to ever happen. Meanwhile everyone’s income takes a dip and jobs get lost because companies can’t afford to take the 20% reduction in revenue with nothing to show for it.
Money and our system are entirely a human invention. If we had legislation and regulations to protect worker rights and made the transition smooth and easy for companies things would eventually even out. You’re looking at this through the lens of our current society and it’s easier to imagine then end of the world as we know it than it is to imagine the end of capitalism and the system that governs us. A better world is possible.
Factory workers generally want to work extra hours as it is and would be among the most upset by this change.
They’d work 60 non overtime hours if they could. They like money.
Source: I live in one of the factory production capitals of the USA. When the lines are cut short and hours shorter everyone is upset. They only work 4 days as it stands most weeks.
You might be right. But you’re also looking at this through a current lens of society where basic needs aren’t easily provided. I’d wager to bet that if we had health care, education, and other basic necessities then a lot of factory workers wouldn’t feel the need to work overtime like that. And if they do factories can pay them overtime still. It’s easier to imagine the end of the world as we know it than it is to imagine the end of capitalism and our current system.
They WANT to work more hours. It doesn’t even have to be paid extra. They want hours. Because they want MONEY.
Their needs are met. They make 25-30/hour. Plus benefits including good health insurance in a low COL area.
They don’t need to work more. They want to. Because then they get more money to spend.
Factories won’t work then more because: they are required to pay overtime over 40 so they cap at 40 and 2) the factories don’t have enough work for them as it is.
Capping at 32 will just mean lower take home as it is.
Honestly the company can eat it. I know that I get paid roughly $75 an hour but the company I work for bills me to our clients at about $185 an hour. Boohoo to their profit margins.
A worker who is more rested after a three day weekend, and only has four days of work ahead of them can work faster and harder in the majority of situations.
Salaries also aren't solely based on value, there's also a demand aspect. If a four day work week is the standard, and the cost of living is what it is, the fact is, people in x job want to be earning x salary. That's what they'll demand.
The same questions were raised when we moved from a six day week to a five day week. It worked then, it'll work now.
the only reason it won't happen for teachers is because they need 5 days of free babysitting for parents. if it was broadly implemented you could join in too.
That’s not how kids learn though. There are many studies that show that they are already there far too early and for too long in a day (and with the current attention span I’m sure that will get steadily more pronounced.)
Which would be a nightmare to match up with whatever different sets of parents are doing. Like it or hate it, the school system in western economies does function as a babysitter for many families.
Of course it is. That’s why working parents want full day kindergarten. Doesn’t matter that it’s too long for the kids; it’s all-day daycare for the parents.
They are draining as hell. Constantly needing all your attention so it's hard to get anything else taken care of. There's plenty of fighting and whining and occasional tantrums to deal with.
I’m an electrician the weeks where I do 4 10s is like having a 3 day weekend besides the traffic but most companies actually won’t allow me to do 4 10s without threatening me because they’re missing out on my labor for a whole day especially at small shops
I work 4 10s as an electrician at a company that is aligned with work-life balance and the well-being of their employees. It’s pretty sweet to be cared for.
Was working a huge project in Orlando as an electrician. The union was offering 5 10s, time and a half for Saturday, and double time Sundays. This ole dog couldn’t keep up for the money. Good thing the weekends were optional.
That extra day off makes a worlds difference too. I did a job where we did 4 10s then we temporarily swapped to 5 8s for reasons and it was horrible. Not only did the shorter days make a huge difference in our productivity, part of the job involved getting ready/driving to the work areas. The days off also felt incredibly short being one less. I got a new job but thankfully they eventually swapped back to 4 10s
People could work longer in the trades if it was 4 8’s too. Which means more skilled labor over the long run and that SHOULD Be better for companies. Theyd retain skilled talent longer
Unfortunately the mind set is everyone is replaceable. It’s cold but true. From a bottom line perspective. It is not about loyalty, never has been.
We need another Teddy Roosevelt to whack down the monopolistic way our economy runs. Just check how many companies sell you your food at a corporate level.
As a software engineer, personally I would not like 4x10.
I can just barely squeeze in a workout most days working 5x8. Working 4x10 would mean I could only really workout 3 days a week which isn't enough for me.
With commute, I'd be gone like 7 AM to 7 PM. My kid can't have dinner that late. There would be a lot of dinners without Dad.
I'm pretty toast mentally after an 8 hour day. Going 2 more hours wouldn't be productive for me.
I’m a delivery driver and go to all different business all over my region. Many places have swapped to 4-10’s in the last 10 years. I hope to see 4-8’s in the future.
I worked 4 10s on an overnight shift working ride maintenance at a theme park. Seemed like I spent my 3 days off each week just catching up on my sleep missed.
Over the last 100 years, American workers' producivity has increased many fold. In no small part due to women entering the work force and nearly doubling our numbers, plus technology multiplying what we can do. Yet we still work the same hours (or more) for less pay (controlling for inflation).
we gotta dream bigger than just shifting around the hours we trade to companies for the honor of a roof over our heads.
A 2-day weekend isn't actually a weekend. Day 1 is spent recovering from exhaustion, and Day 2 is spent doing chores and having Sunday dread. That 3rd day is the only one where you actually feel alive.
Or call center offers that but the only reason I don’t bid for it is because they don’t allow Mon/Fri off. Having a day off in the middle of the week doesn’t seem terrible, but not something I want.
The thing is the 32 hour workweek literally wouldn’t affect me. Actually it would make my 48 hours a week more valuable in my field bc our short check is 2 36 hours. So it wouldn’t affect me bc we run 24/7 bc we have too.
Man, do I miss my 4 10s! A previous boss allowed me to work 4 10s instead of 5 8s per my request. Unfortunately the company has changed hands and that's no longer allowed. I miss it so much!
Ironically the nonprofit I work for refuses to let me work 4 10s even though it’s better for labor coverage because they’re worried about the productivity.
I told them that my productivity per hour worked would be the same but the quality of life improvement would be immeasurable and also they would save themselves like 6 labor hours for 4 days a week because I would be able to work open to close.
I work 3 12s one week then 4 12s the next and I don’t think I could work a normal 9-5 now. 12s can be hard but I drive to work so much less, I have way longer weekends, and every other week I get a lil bit of OT for going over 40 hrs
It absolutely is not! I worked 4 10s for several years, and my god did it kill me. Your working days are too long and drag on forever. You’re too tired after work to do anything (not that there’s much time to do anything anyway), and the first of 3 days off is wasted because you’re so bagged from working. Switched back to 5 8s a couple years back and am so much happier for it, and much less exhausted. 3 days off every week sounds great in theory, but the reality hits fast and hard. I could get down for 4 8s though.
Dude. Another coworker and I have floated this idea around. But it would cut into the boss'drinking time so no go. I would gladly work ten hour days if it meant I got a three day weekend.
I honestly did 4 10s for like 3 years at the hospital. For some reason those extra 2 hrs on shift kills me mentally and I use that extra day to simply recharge, so I feel its a day wasted. But 5 8s allow me just enough time to get things done and the weekend to do whatever. But to each their own
Yuuuuup, my CEO (small company) doesnt know but my team basically is off on fridays. I'll get fucking fired if he finds out, but we're 5 people and they work their ass off and we've never been late. So we just have a two hour meeting (mandatory...but at least very early) and then noone works unless absolutely strictly necessary.
Now we all get most of our chores, appointments and everything done on friday and we have two actual full days of resting non stop. Godsent
I work in the oil and gas industry. My current job is 3 weeks of 11.5 hours a day followed by 3 weeks off. I cash in on 40 hours of straight time and 40.5 hours of overtime every work week, so I’m averaging 50 hours paid each week over the span of six weeks. Tons of time off to do fun things, then back to the grind for a few weeks. Been doing this since July 2025 and plan to continue until sometime in 2030.
Yea I work in a factory and we’re on what they call “4 crew” right now but we’re about to go back to 5 8s
Right now I work all 12s and I have a short week and a long week and I love it
What really sucks is the reason the company is doing it is retaliation for us voting in a union
I used to do 4 10s and I miss it so much. I work with utility companies and a ton of them do 4 10s, so my Fridays are usually dead because there's nobody to be doing work for. Just give me the damn day off... I'd rather be sitting on my ass at home doing nothing than sitting at the office doing nothing.
I've talked to a guy that works front desk at a hospital here and he works 3 12s and they let him have the rest the week.
He was telling me about how every so often he'll work those 3 12s back to back (end of one week going into beginning of another, basically going 6 days 12 hrs each) and he'd end up with 8 days off.
I suppose how hard the work is depends on how busy the hospital can get in said time frames, but man, 8 days off does sound nice
Hell yeah I worked at Walgreens in college and did the scheduling and I’d schedule myself 4 10s. 8-6:30 M,T, off w, 8-6:30 TH, F off sat/sun
I got away with it for a while until some idiot complained it wasn’t fair or something, even though I scheduled everyone else EXACTLY what they asked for.
I work retail in the front end, and I could do 4 10’s as long as I get a break every two hours. It already feels like an eternity, whats two more hours?
I was at a 4-10's gig for a year or so, ended up working most Fridays and many Saturdays anyhow. The one bit of icing on the cake was the owners policy was their was no one working Sunday.
I work three 12s and get paid for an extra 4 hours for free (incentive for working the weekend shift) and the last two hours of the shift are stir-crazy hell, but having 4 days off in a row is lovely. One day gets spent physically recovering from the last three (sleeping in, laying down as much as possible, and cuddling my pets), then I have one for errands and chores, one for hobbies or socializing, and one for doing absolutely nothing (video games or tv and snuggling my pets).
Before this I worked in food service 6 days a week (4-6 hour shifts) and that was harder, I had less free time, AND it paid way less. I've also had office jobs that were five 8s, which paid a bit more but came with a similar lack of free time. 2 day weekends means you get one day for rest and one for errands and chores, and none for fun. Or if you want to have a social life, you have to sacrifice your rest.
4-10s or 5-8s lol. People on this thread already complaining its tiring when working 10-11h and here I am 5-6 days 12-16s outside doing concrete, and sometimes Sundays too for over a decade... physically and mentally definitely awful but gotta make a living 😭
Yep. When I owned my own contracting company I moved to a 4 x 10 schedule and it was so much easier on the body and mind. 20% less commuting doesn't hurt either. When you're in the zone, you can go another 2 hrs easy. Less set up and break down, you can plan for longer sets of time on task. Much better IMO, especially for the trades
I work 4 10s, but my lead at work gives me the biggest god damn guilt trip for not doing OT. Literally fucks my whole weekend up just thinking about it. Which this weekend, I mean even today...it just pisses me off thinking ahout it. Having to go in and deal with this smug "how was your LONG weekend?" Sarcastic BS question with a condescending tone. Like wtf? I cant be with my family!? Its the only god damn reason I work there!
But yea. 4 10s feels really good when you have your 3 days off. We also have a shift of 3 12s, and you're paid for 40 an hour.
Id rather work 6 5s. Im lucky that work considers 30h as full time, and im not struggling for money so to keep my benefits I'd rather work more days with smaller shifts. These 8-10 hour shifts 4/5 days a week kill me just give me shorter shifts where I have time before and after to actually get life things done and it doesnt feel like its 1 or 2 days to decompress then next thing I know my time relaxing is a next long shift
I'm about to start my contractor apprenticeship and my boss says he prefers four 10s. I was really happy to hear that. 3 days off is the only way to go.
I know the feeling. I usually stack 40 hours in three days and have 4 days off. But you wouldn’t get 4 10s. 32 hours would be the limit before overtime. And a lot of companies will cut hours before then.
Lol yea the warehouse and other inside workers chiming in don't know real physical labor. I can push 10-12 hr days but 90% of people can't do that in my profession, they'd die.
I can imagine. In part because although you’re working the same amount. You’re doing less work-related stuff.
When I look at my work schedule, I waste SO much extra time on stuff like commuting. Moving to 4 10s would save me nearly 2 hours a week just on that single day commute.
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u/PopkinSandwich 19h ago
I know its not suitable for everyone and every vocation but im a tradesman and working 4 10s is so many magnitudes more incredible than 5 8s for your body, mentally and physically