A Social Policy Case for a Four-Day Week

Dados Bibliográficos

ID2116347
AutoresHeejung Chung (0000-0002-6422-6119, University of Kent, autor correspondente)
Ano2022
Volume51
Fascículo3
Páginas551-566
Data de publicação2022-07-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournal of Social Policy (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0047-2794 • E-ISSN: 1469-7823
EditoraCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0047279422000186
OpenAlexW4220682798
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas12
Referências citadas48

There has been an explosion of interest in the 'four-day-week' movement across the globe, especially due to its potential in addressing many of the societal challenges left by the COVID-19 pandemic. Four-day-week is a movement set to shorten the working hours of full-time workers without a reduction in pay. I aim to set out the case for a national move towards a four-day-week explaining why social policy scholars should lead the debate. First, I provide evidence of the societal costs that the current long-hours work culture has on workers' and their family's well-being and welfare, social inequality, and social cohesion. Shorter working can help tackle these issues by giving workers right to time, shifting the balance between work and non-work activities in our lives and valuing them both. Social policy scholars need to lead this debate owing to our existing knowledge and expertise in dealing with these social issues and state-level interventions. In addition, without pressing for fundamental changes in our labour market, we cannot adequately address some of the key challenges we face as a society. The paper ends with key research questions social policy scholars should address as a part of this move

Economic growth · Economics · Globe · Political science · Psychological intervention · Public relations · Social policy · Social protection · Welfare · Work (physics) · Digital Economy and Work Transformation · Employment and Welfare Studies · Engineering · Psychology · Work-Family Balance Challenges