Should four-day weeks become the norm to help workers survive?

[webfact]

 

by Michael Bridge

 

Most of us whether employed or retired in Thailand have been hit with a surge in fuel prices, as we fill up at the pumps over the past few weeks.

Obviously, Thailand’s pump prices are still not as painful as many European countries, where prices are ridiculously high.

Pump Prices

The average pump price across Thailand on March 14th, 2022, was THB47.550 compared to the global average of THB58.19.

E20 fuel for example, which was just THB26 a litre in 2021, now costs a whopping THB39 a litre.

It is hurting everyone, but especially the low paid workers on the minimum wage.

Minimum Wage

In December 2019, the National Wage Committee recommended that the minimum daily wage for unskilled labour be increased by five to six baht, from 308 to 330 baht to 313–336-baht, effective 1 January 2020, which was approved by the Cabinet.

 

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Still if you have to commute to say a factory five times a week, then you are paying a lot more to turn up for work now, so the minimum wage is still extremely low.

Meanwhile, factory wages have not increased accordingly.

Shift work and four days’ work

Suggesting a four-day week would be beneficial for many employees, as long as their employers still reward them with the same wage.

 

The workers would still work the same hours as per five or six full days, but would just work longer over the remaining four days.

Of course, those who can afford to swop their motorbikes for electric bikes will see a massive saving. 

Not only will it reduce their fuel costs but may increase productivity with longer daily hours and spilt shifts.

That said not everyone on a minimum wage can afford to sell and buy or can get finance.

Reduction in trips 

I am trying to reduce the number of trips per week in my car. 

One visit to the supermarket instead of two or three trips is working. 
Also, instead of driving to meetings, I am doing more Zoom meetings.

Luckily, I have always worked from home, however I am sure most employers are now used to flexible working practices.

Meanwhile not many factory workers have now the luxury of flexible working hours.

Whereas before employers accepted the Covid stay at home system, as a requirement to curb the pandemic.

Perhaps now it also makes sense that they suggest four days weeks for the workers.

Or better still employers could help subsidise financial packages, where the company loans the workers money to buy an electric motorbike.

Saves on fuel costs and is also good for global warming.

Just a thought.

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2022-03-18

 

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[soi3eddie]

A four day working week in Thailand? How many Thais are working 6 days per week? Let alone only 5 days. Must be a huge number. Can't see most employers, especially factories or process work, going for less days unlesss the working hours are lengthened.

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by soi3eddie

[ikke1959]

I thought there was a 7 day working week in THailand as people only get paid by day and no work no payment. So suddenly to four days a week will reduce a lot of income who is going to pay that?? And what should people do when they have  freetime?? TRavel?? most of them have already hardly enough money to make ends meet

[Mac Mickmanus]

5 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

I thought there was a 7 day working week in THailand as people only get paid by day and no work no payment. So suddenly to four days a week will reduce a lot of income who is going to pay that?? And what should people do when they have  freetime?? TRavel?? most of them have already hardly enough money to make ends meet

People who are legally employed in Thailand are entitled to a number of days off work per month, on full pay .

  I think that its one day per week that have have off with full pay 

[BritManToo]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Of course, those who can afford to swop their motorbikes for electric bikes will see a massive saving. 

Not thought of cycling or walking then?

[RichardColeman]

Maybe you could suggest showing this well known UK documentary on the subject.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Suggesting a four-day week would be beneficial for many employees, as long as their employers still reward them with the same wage.

You're in La la land.

[GeorgeCross]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Suggesting a four-day week would be beneficial for many employees, as long as their employers still reward them with the same wage

well if you are going to go there.. why not make it a ONE day week!

 

yay! stupid economics for everyone!!

 

 

[Orinoco]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Not thought of cycling or walking then?

That should be an instant 3 week ban for suggesting Thai's use there legs. outrageous.

 

[djayz]

There have been 3 studies carried out in 3 different countries on this topic over the past 2 to 3 years and all have shown that, although employees work only 4 days/week, productivity actually rose. Can only find one of those 3 studies now. 

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210819-the-case-for-a-shorter-workweek

 

Another report relayed to the topic: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-57894093

 

So, yes, there are arguments for the case. Staff work less days/week, but productivity actually rises on those days. 

I, for one, am 100% for this. However, we all know that these dinosaurs would never allow the people to have 3 free days a week. Oh no, it makes more sense to them to have too many people on the floor standing around day in, day out doing SFA. 

Edited March 18, 2022 by djayz

[mikebell]

Thai rice farmers have always had a two month working YEAR.

[Whale]

I have always thought this idea to be socially correct (before I retired anyway :+) but economically faulted. We are in inflationary times, thats all there is to it. Costs will rise, wage inflation (costs inflating more than wages) is always a fact of inflationary times. But the proposal is a zero sum gain because what they gain by not raising wages they lose by the costs of production going up because production has been cut by the amount equal to a days output.

 

It seems this a political idea rolled out, to make people aware that times are going to get harder for them but people are working (no they are not!) on potential solutions. Theres one thing for sure, inflation will not affect the lifestyle of the rich, just the poor and lower middle classes. But I suppose as none of our politicians belong to those socio-economic groups they don't really care that much.

[Whale]

9 minutes ago, djayz said:

Staff work less days/week, but productivity actually rises on those days. 

Not in manufacturing or production models surely? 

[smedly]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Shift work and four days’ work

 

5 would be a good start

[rwill]

Lots of workers here want to work as many days as they can.  More work days more pay.  Specially when you are only getting 300B/day.

[jacko45k]

Just now, rwill said:

Lots of workers here want to work as many days as they can.  More work days more pay.  Specially when you are only getting 300B/day.

Yes, the ones I know who work in factories seem to grab all the overtime going. 

[JonnyF]

They should implement Work From Home for 1-2 days per week.

 

It worked great in the company I work for during the height of Covid, yet for some strange reason we all have to return to the office now, spending time and money in traffic again, polluting the city for no reason whatsoever despite the fact we've proved we can be as (if not more) productive working from home.

[sungod]

I like long weekends, Thursday morning until Wednesday night.

[kingstonkid]

So factories pay 1 week wages for 4 days then have to hire more staff to stay open.  Sorry don't see it happening too expensive

 

As to tpt to from work a lot of factories have buses that pick up workers

Edited March 18, 2022 by kingstonkid

[sungod]

9 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

So factories pay 1 week wages for 4 days then have to hire more staff to stay open.  Sorry don't see it happening too expensive

 

As to tpt to from work a lot of factories have buses that pick up workers

Many have dorms too.

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, mikebell said:

Thai rice farmers have always had a two month working YEAR.

Not true if they plant multiple times during the year and then they always plant something else to take up the other months so they have money incoming.  I think your misinformed.

[Hayduke]

39 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

They should implement Work From Home for 1-2 days per week.

Sounds great……but....how about all the farmers, bus drivers, food venders, construction workers, security guards, auto mechanics, maintenance workers, and millions of other Thai people who have manual labor jobs? How on earth are all these masses of people going to stay out of the ‘office’ and be 'more productive' working from home 1-2 days a week?

 

 

Edited March 18, 2022 by Hayduke

[JonnyF]

6 minutes ago, Hayduke said:

Sounds great……but....how about all the farmers, bus drivers, food venders, construction workers, security guards, auto mechanics, maintenance workers, and millions of other Thai people who have manual labor jobs? How on earth are all these masses of people going to stay out of the ‘office’ and be 'more productive' working from home 1-2 days a week?

 

 

Well obviously not everyone can work from home (I was working on the basis that sometimes things are so obvious that they don't have to be stated but well done on pointing that out). However, removing a lot of office workers from the roads would reduce traffic congestion and make life easier for many of those you mentioned getting to and from work. It would also reduce demand for oil, reduce pollution, traffic deaths etc.

 

Don't let perfection stand in the way of improvement.

[Cake Monster]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Not thought of cycling or walking then?

Or !, God forbid, even car sharing, or using the Company Transport that is often provided.

This will not be an option for most Thais, as they must be seen in their Chariot of choice.

Being competitive is all about efficiency.

For Thailand to be efficient on a 4 Day week will not be a no brainer, as their Business's are way too top heavy.

Its all well and good to introduce Kaizan, 5S, Etc Etc to your Business. But if you generate more non productive Jobs in doing so by Employing people to monitor your KPi Etc Etc then it all becomes a worthless exercise.

Cut out all the dead wood, and there may be some chance of saving all the lost Jobs that will go to other Nations should this proposal take shape.

 

[Cake Monster]

32 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Not true if they plant multiple times during the year and then they always plant something else to take up the other months so they have money incoming.  I think your misinformed.

Many Farmers are your actual Thai skilled Builders.

Not planting season or harvest Season for the Rice, they travel to the City's and perform Building work 

[ThailandRyan]

50 minutes ago, sungod said:

Many have dorms too.

Which they get bubble and sealed into if covid show up.....

[Yellowtail]

Full-time employees are paid 30 days per month, be it for a 4, 5 or 6 day week. 

 

Regardless of the number of days worked. more than 8 hours a day must be paid overtime. 

 

Countless studies have been done over the last 100 years for production work, and generally, after eight hours productivity goes down. 

[kimamey]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

You're in La la land.

Yes definitely but where in La La Land? North, South, Isaan, Bangkok?

 

I think we need to know. 

[mrbojangles]

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

They should implement Work From Home for 1-2 days per week.

 

It worked great in the company I work for during the height of Covid, yet for some strange reason we all have to return to the office now, spending time and money in traffic again, polluting the city for no reason whatsoever despite the fact we've proved we can be as (if not more) productive working from home.

Just my 2 cents after recently retiring.

 

Working from home during covid was the most lazy I have ever been in my entire life. I used to be showing as being on line at work and I would stretch out my toe and stroke it on the laptop to ensure my connection didn't drop out. Of course I got work done but being as productive as being in the office? Absolutely no way and I know for sure I'm not alone in that, I'm just ok with owning up to it. I also see a massive delay in getting answers back from companies who are still allowing the working from home to continue versus the companies who are back at the coal front.

 

The other downside is that it causes resentment in the workplace from those whose job doesn't allow them to work from home. Eg. In a machine shop or production environment. Machine operator has to attend work for obvious reasons. Does the design engineer have to attend? Does the procurement dept have to attend? Does HR have to attend? Does line management have to attend? Does finance have to attend? etc, etc. Once you state which do have to go in and which don't, the do's start to resent the don'ts.

 

Back to the 4 day versus 5 day debate. I think this country should focus a bit more on getting a public transport system sorted out and encourage people to share modes of transport more than they currently do. Yes, the biggest problem here is that most use bikes instead of cars, so sharing isn't as easy as it is for us in the west but for those who can they should consider it more.

[Tropicalevo]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Of course, those who can afford to swop their motorbikes for electric bikes will see a massive saving. 

My electricity is 9 baht a unit.

No 'massive saving' there.