Why the New Generation Dislikes the 40-Hour Workweek
The younger workforce—often labeled the "lazy generation"—has developed a clear discontent with the traditional 40-hour workweek.
Let’s face it: the traditional 40-hour workweek is becoming an outdated relic, especially for the younger generation. Many of us are simply fed up with the monotony of endless hours spent in a cubicle, grinding away at tasks that feel meaningless. I learned this firsthand at 19 while working in a chemical plant, suited up in a HAZMAT outfit for $10 an hour. Dreading Mondays and celebrating the fleeting joy of Fridays was my reality, and I quickly realized no paycheck was worth the toll on my spirit.
We’ve left jobs that drain our energy, seeking out experiences that ignite our passion rather than extinguish it. If you can’t handle a 40-hour week because it bores you to tears, maybe it’s time to rethink your relationship with work.
Countries like Iceland, Spain, and New Zealand are leading the charge by experimenting with four-day workweeks. The results? Increased productivity and job satisfaction without sacrificing output. It turns out that giving people more free time—something the rise of computers promised us—leads to a happier, more engaged workforce.
Technological advances make the 40-hour model feel obsolete. As we navigate this landscape, there’s growing skepticism toward traditional corporate structures, in their organic entry-level positions, like jobs as Starbucks baristas, clothing outlet sales people, and fast food drive-thrus. I would not want to be young and approaching a job that wouldn't afford me a house mortgage over time, or any significant position to jump to. My investments into my future were fairly recent, but to look down the 45+ years of working 40 hours a week, shoiuld be broken up into four ten-hour shifts, to maximize the number of days off in a week.