Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

Open_Veins_8 OP t1_jcljhtr wrote

Studies have shown that this shorter work week (with same pay) is a win-win because workers are both happier and more productive.

76

No-Setting9690 t1_jclnipk wrote

Employers are not as they usually have to pay the same 40 hours for 32 hours if they are going that method.
I work in a company that cannot operate on 4 days, we need to do 5. You guys like to have access to your medical customer service, so this is what's required. We cannot do 4 days. Our costs would go up to cover the 5th, we would pass that along to our clients, who would pass that along to the customers. In the medical field we cover, profit margins are very thin and there is no room for this.

Do I support a 4 day work week, fuck yea I do.

−53

Flimflamscrimscram t1_jclpnac wrote

Is it impossible to keep the same number of workers and stagger the schedules so that all five days are covered but every individual only does four of them?

52

ieatpotatochips t1_jclr5gz wrote

Probably.

Edit: I hit send on accident. I meant to say it’s probably possible. It might require some creativity and flexibility but no reason why it can’t work out. I’ve seen it done in various call center situations before without a loss in service or productivity.

5

Integer_Domain t1_jclwnj1 wrote

Depends. It’s a relatively easy problem to schedule a sufficient number of people into a 40 hour week such that each person only works 32 hours. It gets harder as you add variables like budget, time off, holidays etc., but it’s not impossible. I guarantee you that companies don’t want to contract mathematicians to figure out their scheduling, though 🤷🏻‍♂️

5

AllAfterIncinerators t1_jcmr68k wrote

Staggering schedules is a great way to piss off your employees with families. If I went on some kind of changing schedule, my kids couldn’t do sports, scouts, or music lessons without it being a colossal pain in the ass.

5

Flimflamscrimscram t1_jcmta5b wrote

Maybe, but I think what people want more than anything is predictability. I don’t think it requires schedules to be different week to week. Yes, different employees’ work weeks look different, but they don’t regularly change which days they work. I admit it can’t work for every job, and but I think it could be good for a decent number of jobs of all kinds.

6

AllAfterIncinerators t1_jcn3d2t wrote

Yes, predictability is key. I worked retail for a very long time and the unpredictability was awful. I loved Christmas season because it meant unloading a lot of trucks, and those shifts were always early morning and predictable.

4

PmButtPics4ADrawing t1_jcpfj05 wrote

This is how retail and food service places already operate. Most of the employees work part-time but the business is able to stay open all day every day by just scheduling people at different times

2

Illustrious-Elk-8525 t1_jcloqk5 wrote

I’m a 12 hour shift worker doing a minimum of 48 hours a week. I don’t see this happening for industrial employees or 24/7 operations. In your place, since 5 days would be required, would it be possible to work employees for less hours for 5 days? Just out of curiosity. If there was a 32 max work week, could the same job be done in 6.5 hours a day instead of 8?

10

No-Setting9690 t1_jclthhu wrote

Call center hours, we must be open. Customer services positions just cant do that. I'm operations/IT. I'm here before and and after everyone. Wish I could do less than 10 hours, is what it is.

9

Illustrious-Elk-8525 t1_jcltohz wrote

I think the downvotes are from workers who genuinely don’t understand that some things can’t stop. Not everyone works a remote office job

11

_TheMeepMaster_ t1_jcnijpl wrote

No. But there are other solutions. Hire more people, for example... If there is enough work that one person has to spend that much time there, then you have enough work for two people.

7

No-Setting9690 t1_jclu5kb wrote

Oh I get it. Let's look at it realistically l. Let's say they cut hours for a certain business, well now they may not be open that extra day..it will cause inconvenience or an in flux in the days they're open. Causing more work in a reduced time.

3

RecommendationAny763 t1_jclwckw wrote

Profits margins low? In American healthcare? Are you serious?

4

No-Setting9690 t1_jclxzlx wrote

We're not the provider or insurance company. We are a 3rd party billing company. Yes, profit margins are small. In our collections agency, it's even smaller, with 100x more regulation. FDCPA, FCRA, TCPA, HIPAA, PHI, etc.

−4

theSG-17 t1_jcm84gi wrote

Hopefully you go out of business.

Fucking leeches.

5

No-Setting9690 t1_jcmcjwz wrote

You have zero understanding of what we do or who we do it for. We're the leeches??? There is trillions in debt in collection agencies and unpaid medical bills for chosen services and we're the leech? Please you're a child who knows nothing.

3

schu2470 t1_jcmgvcc wrote

> There is trillions in debt in collection agencies and unpaid medical bills for chosen services and we're the leech?

Yes, you are. Medical debt in this country is a fucking tragedy. Most people go into medical debt to either save their lives or get treatment to prevent a disease from ruining their quality of life.

Chosen services. You're almost as bad as the fucking insurance companies who cause this mess.

8

Retlaw83 t1_jcnxj4r wrote

>We're the leeches???

Yes. Medical debt happens either because the system is broken and those who need help can't afford it, unlike every other civilized country, or because someone forgot to pay a small bill they can easily afford and the hospital shunts it off to some sleazebag collection outfit instead of sending a second notice.

You're an IT professional. Have some self-respect and go work at a real company that provides a net good to society instead of being a bootlicker of the evil industry you work in.

4

schu2470 t1_jcmb3lj wrote

A 3rd party company between the provider and insurance? Sounds to me like needless waste. Cut out the middleman and pass on the savings. Hospitals already have billing and collections departments.

5

No-Setting9690 t1_jcmbzyj wrote

Hospitals normally do not have collections. It's an industry that requires experts, they do not normally have the technology as well. We do not bill for hospitals, we specialize in ambulance billing. They do not have the staff for it, as they're typically volunteers, paramedics, chief of fire, etc. This is who we bill for. We recover 2x for them over themselves doing it.
You want savings? Stop having people go to the ER that does not need it. 90% of what walks in the door is urgent care or less. Stop having people take ambulances as a taxi and then don't pay for it. In PA, nonparticipating insurances send the checks to the patient not the provider. Gotta be some dumb kickback there, it makes zero sense. Patient cashes and keeps it. These trips then do not get paid, and costs for other trips must go up to offset.

System is jacked, but a lot of it is because of the gov'ts rules.

5

Retlaw83 t1_jcnxxxa wrote

>In PA, nonparticipating insurances send the checks to the patient not the provider.

I live in PA and this is absolute bullshit. I have always received bills from my provider telling me how much I owe them that insurance does not pay.

3

chaqalaqalaqa t1_jcnaahg wrote

The medical field shouldn’t care about profits.

We live in a dystopia

2

JesusOfBeer t1_jcnffer wrote

🤦‍♂️ people can still work a 5th day but at an OT rate. Win-win for everyone

1