Changing the Way We Work

• Published in: Adults learning Vol. 21; no. 7; pp. 8 - 11
• Main Author: Coote, Anna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: National Institute of Adult Continuing Education 01-03-2010
• Subjects: Adult Learning; Economic Factors; Foreign Countries; Income; Scheduling; Social Attitudes; Social Change; Social Influences; Time; United Kingdom; Working Hours; United Kingdom
• ISSN: 0955-2308

A 21-hour working week is a long way from today's standard of 40 hours or more, but not so far-fetched when people consider the infinitely varied ways in which they actually spend their time. On average, people of working age spend 19.6 hours a week in paid employment and 20.4 hours in unpaid housework and childcare. These averages mask huge inequalities, both between women and men and between income groups--not only in how they use their time, but also in how far they can control it. Bringing the standard nearer to the average could help to iron out these differences. Moving towards a standard of 21 hours could help to redistribute unpaid as well as paid time--for example, by making more jobs available for the unemployed and giving men more time to look after their children. A "normal" working week of 21 hours could help address a range of problems, from overwork and unemployment to low wellbeing and over-consumption. The challenge is to make sure that everyone benefits, not just those who are already relatively privileged. This proposal for a 21-hour working week is intended as a provocation, to stimulate debate and ideas. It also reflects an urgent need to build a sustainable future.