The duration of the working week in Russia and the world

How long does it take to complete everything? The duration of the working week is set in accordance with the Labor Code and depends on several factors. This is the age of the employee, the state of his health, as well as the work that must be done. Someone has the opportunity to carry out their duties 11 hours a day, and some 6 hours are enough to feel tired. What is the normal working week? Let's try to understand.

A bit of history

Even before the revolution in Russia, working time was not controlled by law. At the end of the 19th century, the duration of the shift at 14 hours was considered normal. And people worked because there was no other way out. It was necessary to feed the family. Only the representatives of the aristocracy allowed themselves to relax. Under the pressure of the labor movement in 1897, the working day was officially reduced to 11 hours. On weekends, employees of the factories had the right to work for 10 hours. Women and children worked no more than 8 hours a day. Leaving ordinary employees could not afford. But overtime work was only welcomed. Everyone wanted to spend more time at the plant to get more reward. This completely nullified the innovations associated with working time.

After the October Revolution in 1917, the maximum duration of the working week was set at 48 hours. At the same time, employees could not spend more than 8 hours a day at the plant. Provided for one day off and paid leave. Its duration depended on the complexity of the work performed.

In 1928 the enterprises switched to a five-day working week. At the same time, employees were at the enterprise 7 hours a day. However, such innovations did not last long. In 1939, the Second World War began. In connection with the complicated situation in 1940, I again had to switch to an 8-hour working day. The duration of the working week in Russia was set at 56 hours. Only fewer employees could afford to stay at the plant. They worked for 6 hours a day, seven days a week.

What is the duration of the working week today?

According to the current labor law, an employee can not spend more than 40 hours a week in the workplace. At the same time, it takes 8 hours a day to work. Standard is a five-day work week with two days off. Some employers may have a 6-day workweek. However, in this case, employees receive additional benefits. Can be extended paid leave.

The concept of working time is regulated by Article 91 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation. If the employer violates the rights of the employee, he will be legally punished. The duration of the reduced working week is set for categories of citizens who perform their duties in harmful production. For example, people who work with radiation or chemicals, have to spend at the enterprise only 6 hours a day. The working time is also reduced for some categories of medical personnel and for educators and teachers.

A longer working week can be established only at the request of the employee himself. All nuances are negotiated before signing the employment contract. If the employee agrees to a long working day, this is officially recorded. Thus, claims can not be presented to the employer.

The latter has the right to keep track of the time actually worked by each individual employee. For this purpose, almost every enterprise has a checkpoint. Here is a journal that records when a person came to the workplace and when he left. At some plants and enterprises this procedure is automated. Control is carried out with the help of special access cards, and the data comes directly to the employer's computer.

Four-day workweek

Some experts believe that the normal working week should not exceed 4 days. This will solve several problems at once. First of all, there will be much more jobs. In many factories, production is continuous. This means that more people can take up a job. In addition, a reduction in the working day will have a positive effect on the workers themselves. For three days off, they will be able to perfectly restore their strength and begin to fulfill their duties. The staff turnover will decrease substantially, the number of errors in production will decrease. The rest of the staff will perform their work more qualitatively.

The duration of the working week in the clock can remain the same. That is 40 hours a week can be worked out and for 4 days. Many employees agree with this. They are ready to work every day for 2 hours more to get more days off.

Is Russia ready to move to a four-day week today? According to the research, only 50% of citizens agree on such innovations. Many today work almost without days off, in order to receive a greater reward for their work. If you have to spend only 4 days in production, employees will start looking for additional sources of income. In addition, if the working hours per week are reduced, the cost of manufactured products will significantly increase. Russia can not yet be compared with European countries that have gone far ahead in development.

What is the duration of the working week in other countries?

In most developed countries, as in the Russian Federation, the working week lasts from Monday to Friday. On Saturday and Sunday everyone has the opportunity to spend time with friends and family. But in some states other days off are established. So, for example, in Israel, the first working day is Sunday. But the employees finish their workdays on Friday afternoon. The standard working week is 43 hours. At the factory or in the office, people spend 8 hours a day.

In most Muslim countries, the main day off is Friday. Most of the population works from Saturday to Wednesday. In some cases, Thursday is also considered working. At the same time, the generally accepted working week is 40 hours.

The most hard-working people are considered to be Chinese. Employees work here for 10 hours every day. In this case, only Sunday is considered a day off, the holiday does not exceed 10 days, and only 20 minutes are allocated for lunch. Not surprisingly, most of the achievements of science and technology are the merit of the Chinese. Also, the Japanese also left nearby. Employees here have to spend 50 hours a week in the workplace. In Japan, a six-day event is also welcome.

The shortest working week in the Netherlands. Employees of offices, factories and factories work for 6 hours. At the same time they rest 2 days a week and are entitled to paid leave, the duration of which is 30 calendar days.

What are the alternatives?

Most recently, one of the richest people in the world, Carlos Slim, proposed to reduce the working week to three days. In his opinion, people can work much less than the standard 40 hours and still have time to do everything. However, Carlos believes that the working day should be 11 hours, and it is better to retire employees not earlier than 75 years. If we consider that the average life expectancy in Russia is 70 years, many citizens do not have a pension at all.

There are many hypotheses about the working week. Everyone who expresses this or that opinion, brings its arguments. Consider the most common options.

4 hours

Many will say that the normal working week can not be 4 hours. This is impossible for most professions. Adherent of the short week is the author of many bestsellers Timothy Ferris. The writer claims that in the past he had to work 14 hours a day. At the same time he did not have much time and felt unhappy. If a person works less, his working capacity will be much higher. This is due to the fact that 80% of the planned work requires only 20% of the time available. This is a scientifically proven fact.

Ferris believes that planning is of great importance. The most difficult tasks must be solved first, and secondary ones can be entrusted to assistants. From this it can be concluded that a 4-hour work week can suit people who own their own business and have achieved a lot. For an ordinary employee 4 hours a week will be very little.

21 hours

Reducing the workweek in half will solve several problems at once. First of all, the unemployment rate will significantly decrease. That is, for one place will immediately two jobs. In addition, people can rest more, which means it is better to restore strength. This will necessarily affect the quality of the work performed. Many today live for work, and do not work for life. This is a wrong approach. Reduction of working hours will help improve the condition of workers, and also affect the development of the economy.

The duration of the reduced working week can not exceed 21 hours. How to allocate this time, each employer decides independently. Ideally, a three-day workweek is considered. Employees will have to be at the factory or in the office for 7 hours. For 4 days it will be possible to perfectly recover and with new forces to start performance of working duties.

The theory is still far from practice. Most of the domestic enterprises today are not yet ready to move to a four-day working week. Do not allow it to do first of all the economic situation. After all, a 7-hour working day should be introduced with the preservation of the minimum wage established by law. Some employers still take this step. After all, with the reduction in the duration of the week, the working capacity of employees improves. Thanks to this, it is possible to obtain a greater income, and, therefore, to increase the payment for labor.

30 hours

In the midst of the Great Depression in 1930, corn tycoon John Harvey conducted a small experiment. He decided to reduce the standard working hours per week. Employees of the factory began to work 6 hours instead of the generally accepted eight. As a result, the employer managed to significantly increase productivity and reduce the cost of its products. Employees began to work every day for 2 hours less, they had more free time. The tycoon noted that the last two hours of the working shift are the least effective. Shortening the length of time that people spent behind the machines, he did not lose anything. After all, it was not necessary to hire new employees.

Such experiments are still conducted today. In Sweden, for example, at one of the factories of Gothenburg, the workers were divided into two groups. Some work 8 hours a day, others work for 6 hours each. At the same time, both groups have the same salary. The duration of the working week in hours affects the overall working capacity. A group of employees that works less shows the best results. Experts argue that reform in the labor sphere in favor of reducing working hours can bring the state not one billion dollars.

32 hours

There are many supporters of the 4-day workweek. At the same time, experts are sure that the average working week should not be less than 32 hours. That is, employees will spend at the machine or at the office table all the same 8 hours a day. During this time, it will be possible to solve the maximum number of tasks. There will be three days off, which can be spent with relatives and friends. For today in the USA 36% of the companies work on this principle. Friday is considered the same day off as Saturday or Sunday.

There is an opinion that it is possible to increase labor productivity by increasing the number of days off. The maximum duration of the working week can be 33 hours. Employees will spend 11 hours at the place of their main employment. But to retire will not be in 50 or 60 years, but in 70-75. According to scientists, such a schedule will allow people to have more rest and significantly improve the standard of living.

Other opinion

Some employers notice that even 2 days off is too much. Achieve success is only possible for those who work tirelessly. Numerous studies show that on weekends people actively communicate in social networks, discuss news. This time can be spent more productively. Today the normal working week in Russia is considered to be 48 hours. On Sunday, many are able to restore their strength to again begin to work actively for the benefit of society.

From a medical point of view, a 6-day workweek, nevertheless, has a negative impact on both employees and the enterprise as a whole. Workaholics often have more chronic illnesses. Recycling, they risk getting an industrial injury. Studies have been carried out which confirmed that a long working week has a negative impact on employees. People who work more than 50 hours have much less vocabulary and can not express their thoughts normally. What is the normal working week? It turns out that it is optimal to carry out its main duties for no more than 40 hours.

Is it worth it to work without days off?

Today in no country in the world does not exist a 7-day workweek. However, many citizens in Russia still have time to work without days off, settling in several places at once. The duration of working hours per week is also increased for those who decided to start their own business. It is necessary to remain constantly aware of the events, to control expenses and incomes. However, most businessmen do not spend 8 hours in the office every day. They can do business in the home.

Productively working daily allows a change in activity. For example, 5 days a week can be dedicated to work in the office, and on the weekend to find a lesson for the soul, which will also bring income. Great value also has a quality rest. If you manage to establish a full night's sleep and rest for at least two hours during the day, you can count on a 7-day work week. But even in this mode, hardly anyone will be able to work long. Work from Monday to Friday provides for the domestic labor code. The duration of the working week does not exceed 40 hours. Work longer or not, each for himself decides for himself.

To increase labor productivity, it is possible for those employers who were able to dilute the basic duties of employees with trainings and corporations. Monotonous work tires quite quickly. If an employee receives positive emotions in the office or factory, he will be able to perform his duties much more efficiently.