A lot of Indian companies still follow the 6-day work week schedule. Why? Can a 6-day work week be more productive than a 5-day week? Let us read 3 stories and how many of us can some or other way relate with the stories?

Sunitha from Mumbai is a single mom and works in private sector. She has to work 6 days a week and look after her one son. A 5 day work week will make it more comforting situation for people under certain scenario.More over her company is very strict with entry time in office , if late by 10 mins, it is absent but they work till 9 pm and longer and the time is not adjusted with entry time or extra pay. Is it not exploitation? 

Prahlad from Dhadwad works in a Pvt college as lecturer for a meager salary of 30000. His work place is some 8 hour/one night away from hometown. He has a pregnant wife and old parent at Dharwad. The money is not enough and still he does not have time to go and meet family every week. He does not have time to go for banking need, as employer will deduct money. Which bank remains open on Sunday? He is not busy all 48 hours work week, but owner of engineering college or private university thinks as they pay, people should seat inside the campus premise. What a stressed teacher can teach? What we can teach students all 48 hours a week. Here both student and teacher need 5 days week scene. Where is the respect for teacher or human life?

Revathi in Bangalore works in a biological company and has to take care of son and sick husband. Most of the times she is stressed and keep on planning what are the things she has to finish on Sunday and weekdays during night time. She also needs time for daily bath, cook and travel. She can only dream about holiday or relaxed time in her life after 48 hours work week

On May 1, 1926, Henry Ford’s automobile company, Ford Motor, became one of the first American companies to introduce a five-day, 40-hour work week. While this was criticised a lot in the beginning, as time passed, it proved to be a brilliant technique to boost productivity.

In Telegraph, UK the below list was published in 2017. (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/maps-and-graphics/nationalities-that-work-the-longest-hours/

1.        Mexico - 2255 hours per year

2.        Costa Rica - 2212

3.        South Korea - 2069

4.        Greece - 2035

5.        Chile - 1974

6.        Russia - 1974

7.        Poland - 1928

8.       Latvia - 1910

9.        Israel - 1889

10.     Lithuania - 1885

11.      Iceland - 1879

12.     Estonia - 1855

13.     Portugal - 1842

14.     Turkey - 1832

15.     Ireland - 1820

16.     US - 1783

17.     Czech Republic - 1770

18.     Hungary - 1761

19.     New Zealand - 1757

20.    Slovakia - 1740

21.     Italy - 1730

22.     Japan - 1713

23.     Canada - 1703

24.     Spain - 1695

25.     Slovenia - 1682

26.     UK - 1676

27.     Australia - 1669

28.    Finland - 1653

29.     Sweden - 1621

30.    Austria - 1601

31.     Switzerland - 1590

32.     Belgium - 1551

33.     Luxembourg - 1512

34.     France - 1472

35.     Netherlands - 1430

36.     Norway - 1421

37.     Denmark - 1410

38.    Germany - 1363

In India the work hour varies from yearly 2080 (40 hour/week) for Govt sector, multinationals to yearly 2496 (48 hour/week) banking, school, college, and other private sectors. Are we doing any better? If majority of people working in Pvt Sector are adding up to the growth of the country happily?

Let us take a different scenario of countries where  people work 5 days a week. They plan for trip Friday night to extended families, or some sightseeing to countryside/villages. They drive or they take public vehicle. So when city takes rest, country side gets busy with travelers. You find local business, farmers are happy to welcome tourist. And Sunday night people returns to home for another fulfilling work week. Or in case there is no plan to travel out of cities families and friends gather together with kids. They cook together, go to zoo or shopping or play. So there stress gets released and they are ready to perform with happy mind and enthusiasm in their work. But major part of working Indians can only see such life in Movies or in their dream.

 Mostly MNCs are following the 5 days working days. Even Govt organizations including Govt colleges and universities follow 5 working days. Although in research institutes there is a flexibility of time, so people end up working everyday variable hours based on their other commitments. But productivity and happiness among employees are high.

But banking sectors, courts, private colleges, universities and schools are open 6 days and 48 hours a week. And work responsibility, job insecurity, and stress are much more for all these sectors.  People stop enjoying their work and it becomes a routine job where there is no prize waiting at the end of week rather one Sunday full of grocery and cleaning responsibility. 

Importance of 5 working days:

1.          Our society is family oriented. Now days, people are moving away from hometown for job and confined in nuclear family set-up, where both spouses work and kids get neglected. Under this circumstance, a 5 working day will give them the flexibility to finish household responsibility as not all services can be hired, parent can give quality time to kids when they have two days leave than one day leave which will occupy to clean and do grocery. Backbone of our society can be saved.

2.          5 days work week will also encourage people to visit their hometown frequently to meet extended family.  

3.          It will also encourage people for short tours. People who enjoys travel they will be  thrilled and excited to work effectively as they will have enough time from Friday night till Sunday night to go on trekking or local sightseeing. This will again increase local tourism.

Solution for some critical service sector:

1.  Government can strictly impose rule for 40 hours work week for all sectors. Anything more should be paid separately and cannot be forced on the people. As many banks and colleges call their employees on Sunday for meeting over phone and not using email as it is illegal practice.

2.  For sectors like banking and entertainment (shops, restaurants, hospitals) flexible and shared work hour should be implemented. When an employee have to work more than 40 hours, should get paid separately.