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Working Four 10-hour Days to Save Energy?

Our company currently works four 9-hour days (Mon-Thur) and a 4-hour half-day on Fridays.

It’s a great schedule and it’s one of the favorite perks at our company, which really boosts employee morale. Getting off work at 11:30 a.m. on Fridays allows you to take care of business that can’t be done on the weekends (government offices) or hit the road early for weekend get-aways.

It almost makes it feel like a 3-day weekend.

But you know what would make it feel like even more of a 3-day weekend? An actual, full 3-day weekend.

Today’s Austin American-Statesman has an article about companies considering going to a 4-day work-week (working four 10-hour days) to save on energy costs (companies could reduce their energy usage and utility bills by up to 20%) and to help employees offset the rising cost of gas.

I know I’d welcome the 4-day work week if our company decides to go with it (I think we probably will).

Posted by Robbie Cooper on Monday, July 14th, 2008 | Trackback |

6 Responses to “Working Four 10-hour Days to Save Energy?”

Four 1-hour work weeks???

I know it’s a type-o, but I love it! You’ve just made my day.

Left by kw on July 14th, 2008 at 12:26 pm

Oops. Fixed.

Four 1-hour work days? Who do you think we are? Europe?

Left by Robbie Cooper on July 14th, 2008 at 12:54 pm

I don’t see the math in this. 40 hours is 40 hours vis-a-vis lights, air conditioning/heating and computers, phones etc. I do get that it is one day less to commute but the rest of it is bs.

Left by Brad on July 14th, 2008 at 3:15 pm

Love me some type-o’s (hello Pot, I’m Kettle).

Brad, you could save (hundreds) alone on not having to keep the AC at a comfortable working-level that one extra day here in Texas. I’m open 16 hours a day, 7 days a week… You don’t want to see this bill.

Left by kw on July 14th, 2008 at 5:31 pm

Companies could take it one step further and simply have people turn off their PC’s and other office equipment when they go home. Combine that with a three day “lights out” weekend and you could really see some savings. Will Wynn, Mayor of Austin, is proposing this action item as we speak. If the entire City of Austin goes to a four day work week, I would expect dramatic energy savings. Obviously, some services like Water and Electric would still need to keep a 24/7 staff. I think most employees would be onboard with a 10hr day if it meant sleeping in on Friday.

Left by Kemo on July 15th, 2008 at 2:55 pm

Until they cut back our hours due to billing errors and money running low on various contracts, I worked a standard 10 hour day, six day work week.

As I’m an hourly wage slave, that works out to 80 regular and 40 OT hours every paycheck. Can I relate to you exactly how pissed I/we were when we were cut to 48 per week?

Of course I also get per diem when I travel, which is always, and though it varies place to place it’s never below $39 a day for meal and incidentals. Here in Seattle, I’m pulling down $59 a day and if I was over in Germany or Italy where we also do work, it’d be more like $150-$175.

It is nice having a whole weekend to sight-see and do chores and errand though.

Left by Ryan on July 15th, 2008 at 7:45 pm

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