A Reduced Workweek as a Right

There is such a thing as Human Rights and I would argue that an extra day off is one of them. There has been a greater focus on overall wellbeing in recent years and I would attribute that to the human race finally getting to a point where they are willing to admit that they are tired. This was frowned upon in bygone years and someone who expressed as much was seen as lazy. The reduced workweek revolution is here and every South African may soon have access to an extra day off.

The South African Bill of Rights lists “Life, Dignity and Equality” as part of the Constitution that protects the basic human rights of our citizens. In order to live, we require more time. More time is also required to access dignity. Everyone must be offered a reduced workweek, which brings us to the equality part.

Since all these aspects are related to time, a four-day week that works, makes the most sense.

Right now the four-day week is considered a privilege enjoyed by a few. But this kind of apartheid is not fair and won’t last. If your organisation is not actively working to help you balance work and life by having you work smarter, you should be looking elsewhere. A four-day week may seem like a perk, but soon it will become a necessity.

As South Africans we are still a ways from achieving the mandate of our Constitution, however, it’s not just for the government to achieve this objective. Employers are responsible for their employees, the same way government is responsible for its citizens. The reduced workweek revolution is upon us. When it comes to a four-day workweek, which side of history will you stand on?

Tags

4 Day Week SA, INFJ, 4 Day Week, Future of Work, Work Time Reduction, Reduced Workweek Revolution, Wellbeing in the Workplace

David-John Wayne Bailey is an INFJ from Cape Town, a proud pioneer pilot participant of 4 Day Week SA and an advocate of a four-day week for everyone working in South Africa.