The 40-Hour Workweek Became 'Standard' 84 Years Ago. It's Time for the Next Shift.
The 40-hour workweek is 84 years old - as old as someone's grandmother. Here's why remote work is the natural next evolution, and why companies that fight it are fighting history.
The 40-Hour Workweek Became 'Standard' 84 Years Ago. It's Time for the Next Shift.
The 40-hour workweek became "standard" 84 years ago in the USA. Before this time, working hours were wild.
In 1817, many people were working 80 to 100 hour weeks.
In 1926, Henry Ford popularized the 40-hour workweek after realizing that working more only slightly increased productivity.
BTW - I'm looking at you, Google. The 60-hour workweek is not the "sweet spot" for productivity - it's a great way to get an extra 50% squeeze for the same cost of headcount, though.
The Fair Labor Standards Act (which standardized 40-hour workweeks) became law in 1940.
40 hours in the office was a great improvement. But it's as old as someone's grandmother.
Today, the shift is moving to remote work.
The pandemic proved that remote work could be performed at a level equal or greater to in-office work. It reduced waste of resources and time, and employees loved the flexibility it provides.
84 years is too long to adapt to a new standard of living.
Companies who embrace remote and hybrid work are building the workforce of the future. It's needed because going into an office is unnecessary, wasteful, and deprives people of the flexibility to spend more time on what really matters - health and family.
The Theory of Hireability™ is built for the world that's already here - where the best talent works on their terms, not their zip code.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long has the 40-hour workweek been the standard in the U.S.?
The 40-hour workweek became law in 1940 under the Fair Labor Standards Act - making it 84 years old as a standard. Before the act, many workers put in 80 to 100 hours per week. Henry Ford popularized the 40-hour model in 1926 after discovering that longer hours produced only marginally more output.
Did remote work prove as productive as in-office work?
The pandemic provided a large-scale natural experiment: remote work performed at a level equal to or greater than in-office work. It reduced wasted resources and commute time, and employees overwhelmingly valued the flexibility. The evidence is in the outcomes - not in how many hours someone sat in a chair.
Why should companies embrace remote and hybrid work?
Companies that embrace remote and hybrid work are building the workforce of the future. Going into an office is unnecessary and wasteful for knowledge workers, and it deprives employees of the flexibility to invest time in what actually matters - health, family, and deep work. Resisting this shift puts companies on the wrong side of history, the same way resisting the 40-hour workweek would have in 1940.
Ready to land a six-figure remote role on your terms? Start here.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long has the 40-hour workweek been the standard in the U.S.?
The 40-hour workweek became law in 1940 under the Fair Labor Standards Act - making it 84 years old as a standard. Before the act, many workers put in 80 to 100 hours per week. Henry Ford popularized the 40-hour model in 1926 after discovering that longer hours produced only marginally more output.
Did remote work prove as productive as in-office work?
The pandemic provided a large-scale natural experiment: remote work performed at a level equal to or greater than in-office work. It reduced wasted resources and commute time, and employees overwhelmingly valued the flexibility. The evidence is in the outcomes - not in how many hours someone sat in a chair.
Why should companies embrace remote and hybrid work?
Companies that embrace remote and hybrid work are building the workforce of the future. Going into an office is unnecessary and wasteful for knowledge workers, and it deprives employees of the flexibility to invest time in what actually matters - health, family, and deep work. Resisting this shift puts companies on the wrong side of history, the same way resisting the 40-hour workweek would have in 1940.
