ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explores the possibility of moving the standard US workweek from its current level of 40 hours per week in five days to a new level of 32 hours per week in four days. It looks at a range of empirical examples, from the four-day, 40-hour compressed workweek that was implemented in quite a few companies in the 1970s, as well as in cases of 32-hour workweeks at several tech companies. The book analyzes the main stumbling block to implementation of the four-day week is compensation of workers, in terms of alternatives and means to smooth the transition period. It considers the "future of work," which is quite a controversial topic due to the mechanization of many jobs, efforts to make worktime more flexible, the use of telecommuting, and other features of the modern workplace.
