VIDEO: The rise of the four-day workweek

Bernie Sanders is on board — but he is hardly the first.

The veteran U.S. Senator has introduced a bill south of the border that, if passed, would make America home of the 32-hour workweek. 

The concept has picked up steam in recent years, as more and more companies struggle to combat employee burnout. Research has shown that workers who clock 32 hours per week, as opposed to 40, come to the office less stressed and more focused — and company revenues actually improve.

Joe O'Connor, CEO of the Toronto-based Work Time Reduction Center of Excellence, has helped plenty of employers make the shift to a shorter workweek. He says employees are a lot more motivated to find efficiencies and boost productivity if the reward is extra time off.

"People look at the data around a four-day workweek and they say: ‘How is this possible? They are working less hours and revenue is up, productivity is up,'" O'Connor said, during a recent appearance on Village Media's Inside the Village podcast. "That is because people are so engaged in the process of making their organizations better, because the thing they are being offered is so life-changing and so transformative.” 

You can watch the full episode HERE.

Hosted by Scott Sexsmith and Michael Friscolanti, the Editor-in-Chief of Village Media, Inside the Village is a news and current affairs podcast that provides a weekly window into some of the best local journalism from across our chain of Ontario newsrooms. Produced by Derek Turner, the program also explores bigger-picture issues that impact people across the province.

Every episode is available HERE. If you prefer the audio version, it is available wherever you find your favourite podcasts.

Have something to say? You can reach us at itv@villagemedia.ca.