Microsoft Japan: four-day workweek boosts productivity 40%

thomas · 5 Nov 2019

Here, all you corporate slave traders, take that!!

After spending August experimenting with a four-day workweek in a country notorious for overwork, Microsoft Japan said sales per employee rose 40 per cent compared with the same month last year. The "Work-Life Choice Challenge Summer 2019" saw full-time employees take off five consecutive Fridays in August with pay, as well as shortening meetings to a maximum of 30 minutes and encouraging online chats over face-to-face ones. Among workers responding to a survey about the program, 92 per cent said they were pleased with the four-day week, the software maker's Japan affiliate said in a report on its website on Oct. 31. [...]

The summer trial also cut costs at Microsoft Japan, with 23 per cent less electricity consumed and 59 per cent fewer pages printed compared with August 2018, according to the report. Some Microsoft Japan managers still didn't understand the changes in working styles and some employees expressed concern that shorter workweeks would bother clients.

Four-day workweek boosted productivity by 40%, Microsoft Japan experiment shows

In a rare corporate experiment to test a four-day work system, Microsoft Corp.’s Japan branch found that their productivity improved by about 40 percent, the company said.

www.japantimes.co.jp

musicisgood · 5 Nov 2019

I saw that. Good news actually. I remember working in Hachioji and the cook worked 7 days a week and that ain't no bs. Since I was a foreigner I only had to work Monday thru Friday.
I really felt sorry for the Japanese back then. But after returning to Japan in the 90's I found myself at 7 days a week, sure it was part time, but then came the 6 days a week for nearly 22 years. It took its toll on me. And the sad thing is....

thomas · 5 Nov 2019

musicisgood said:
I saw that. Good news actually.

Absolutely. Now imagine the boost in productivity if we implemented a three-day workweek.

musicisgood · 8 Nov 2019

thomas said:
Absolutely. Now imagine the boost in productivity if we implemented a three-day workweek.

I think if you are your own boss, then one would really understand what a three-day work week would be all about. Having owned 2 businesses in California, I'd say the other 3 day work week ( yes, as a business owner you work 6 days a week), is actually just work days of freedom knowing you don't have to kiss some bosses *** just to keep your job. Now I'm currently not working, but seem to be busy 7 days a week not even making a penny.

Mark of Zorro · 17 Nov 2019

As a long time dozenal advocate I used to do things like formulate new calendars based on 12. So I came up with a 6 day week which I imagined as a 4 day work week and a 2 day weekend.

So that makes me wonder....was it the 4 day work week that did it, the 3 day weekend, or the combination?

Personally I never felt the weekend was too short but just that the work week was too damn long.

SmudgyBuddy · 22 Feb 2020

Yeah, I would like this to be implemented by law asap. The aches and pains of transport are taking their tolls on mah bodeh!

Microsoft Japan: four-day workweek boosts productivity 40%

thomas

Unswerving cyclist

Four-day workweek boosted productivity by 40%, Microsoft Japan experiment shows

musicisgood

Sempai

thomas

Unswerving cyclist

musicisgood

Sempai

Mark of Zorro

先輩

SmudgyBuddy

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