Many people argue that the workweek should be shortened to provide workers with a longer weekend. However, I strongly disagree with this idea, as it could lead to various issues in terms of the economy and the standard of living.
One of the most significant drawbacks of a shorter workweek is the potential decline in productivity and earnings. With reduced working hours, there would be a decrease in the productivity of workers who are paid based on the hours they work. Consequently, employees’ salaries would decrease significantly, making it difficult for them to maintain their current standard of living during an economic downturn. Additionally, shorter workdays could also adversely affect business profits. The decrease in workers’ efficiency could prevent businesses from achieving their targets and goals, resulting in a considerable drop in company budgets. Therefore, reducing the number of workdays would have several disadvantages for both individuals and businesses.
Furthermore, it is important to consider the non-essential nature of longer weekends. While a longer weekend may appear to be a benefit for workers to relax after long working periods, it is not essential to have more than two days off, as workers already have numerous holidays throughout the year when they do not need to go to the office. Vietnamese employees, for instance, have approximately 30 days off to celebrate various occasions such as Lunar New Year and Independence Day. Therefore, extending the weekend is not crucial for workers.
In conclusion, despite some claims that a shorter workweek greatly benefits workers in terms of recreation, I believe that extending the weekend is unnecessary. I firmly believe that it is crucial to maintain not only the living standards of workers but also economic growth.