The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

Take a Three-Day Weekend Without Losing Any Pay (with Juliet Schor)

124 snips
Sep 29, 2025
Join economist Juliet Schor, an expert on work-time reduction and author of 'Four Days a Week', as she reveals the life-changing potential of a four-day workweek. She discusses how embracing shorter work hours can boost employee well-being, enhance productivity, and ultimately lead to greater profits for businesses. Through compelling research findings, Schor explains the positive effects on mental health and employee satisfaction, and how organizations can thrive with this innovative approach—all while enjoying more leisure time.
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INSIGHT

Shorter Workweeks Are Feasible

  • Juliet Schor argues that many workers could work fewer hours without reducing pay by reorganizing work.
  • Historic objections to shorter workweeks echo past fears but may now be as unfounded as before.
ANECDOTE

How The Trials Began

  • Juliet Schor recounts being invited to research a 32-hour trial organized in Ireland during the pandemic.
  • That invitation launched studies of hundreds of companies and over 11,000 employees in trials.
INSIGHT

Modern Forces Widen The Workday

  • Technology, global teams, and intensive parenting expanded the workday beyond official hours.
  • These forces combined to create a persistent 'time squeeze' for many American families.
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