Burnout, stress lead more companies around the world to try a four-day work week

Millenials.

All that seems obvious to me.

Less work, less stress. What's the point in being at the office for 8 hours or more if you do only 3-4 hours of work ?

Unfortunately, we will need a BIG change in the capitalist way of thinking, and put human beings before the economy, in order to see any real change.

It will never catch on in Japan.  Just being at work is the norn, even when there is sweet fanny adams to do.  Sleeping at your desk is a common teacher activity.  I prefer Youtube or a good book, but you didn't hear me say that!

It seems very lazy to me. Working 4 days is part time job. Cultures built on hard work will never accept it.

It'll never happen in Japan. We need everyone present and available at all times. How else are we going to have pointless mandatory meetings at the whim of our bosses?

In a country where the job/company comes before family and personal health, a four-day work week would never catch on. Sadly, the idea of working smarter, not longer is a foreign concept, and--as evidenced by other's posts--viewed as lazy. So behind the times, in typical fashion.

Meanwhile, in Japan, they capped monthly overtime at 100 hours. And, who remembers the Premium Friday initiative. It allows workers to finish two hours early on the last Friday of the month. I don’t know anybody who gets it. In fact, most people I know are made to work overtime on the last Friday of the month to finish the monthly accounting and invoicing.

Coming soon to a workplace near you in Japan........

Like, in a million years!

I think it's unfair to ask employers to pay the same wage to employees who only work four days a week, especially small and medium-sized companies.

As for me, I love my job and am happy to work seven days a week, if necessary. The idea of working four days a week is ludicrous. Nobody needs three days of leisure time each week. Dare I use the word "lazy?"

If some people want to work four days a week, then in my opinion, they should be prepared to accept a wage cut.

@Smartacus - If some people want to work four days a week, then in my opinion, they should be prepared to accept a wage cut.

They are working ten ten hours a day, four days a week. Do the math!

Great idea. Companies should ask employees what third day he/she would like off. Mondays and Fridays would be the obvious choices but Wednesdays would be tempting too. Two days on, one off, two days on, two off. Far fewer sickies and happier, more productive employees.

Good idea. Work 32 hours them get a p / t job doing some other job where people are urgently needed in the workplace. We wont need all the foreigners here. Sounds like a win-win. Don’t believe this.

I worked seven days a week for a decade. I got a lot done, and don't begrudge those who try to do the same.

What finally got to me was getting home in the evening and immediately having to begin planning the next day. I enjoy working 12-hour days and still sometimes do, but I relish in the chance to get into bed with nothing in my head but walking the dog in the morning.

It's already a 4.5 day week if you factor in Premium Friday.

I've been in the work place for over 55 years. Here's what has happened: hard workers have always worked hard (I won't talk about slackers). But since the advent of computers, people are working harder than ever, and expected to do more! University professors have been doing secretarial work at their jobs, doctors are record keepers, police are report filers, managers take work everywhere they go on laptops. You simply cannae get away from your work these days! It's killing people in advanced countries! Until I retired last March, I was doing more and more computer work that used to be done by secretaries. And I have never been a secretary, which is in itself very important work!

tawhatwhat - It's already a 4.5 day week if you factor in Premium Friday.

Premium Friday is only once a month and most companies only offered two hours off. However, the employees are too afraid to take it. 60% of Japanese employees are on short-term contracts with yearly reviews. If one of these employees was to start taking a Premium Friday they would not get their contract renewed. In fact, part of the contract review process is adding up how many overtime hours (brownie points) they have accumulated.