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MEX Billionaire urges three-day work week


Camrysfa
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OMG, the 3-day work week sounds so nice; but 11 hour days, hmm

 

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11339918&ref=nzh_tw

 

MEX Billionaire urges three-day work week

Mexican billionaire also says people should work 11 hour days until they turn 75.

 

 

The world's richest man is calling for a radical overhaul of our work-life balance that would see people at their jobs for just three days a week.

 

Carlos Slim, the Mexican telecom tycoon worth over US$80 billion ($101 billion),

 

also believes people the typical working day should last 11 hours instead of eight and that the retirement age should be increased to 75.

 

 

"You should have more time for you during all of your life - not when you're 65 and retired," he told CNNMoney.

 

The 74-year-old billionaire first raised the idea at a conference in Paraguay during the summer when he called for "a radical overhaul" in people's working lives.

 

He believes the concept would not only re-invigorate how we live, but be positive for the economy and financial markets.

 

"With three work days a week, we would have more time to relax; for quality of life," he said.

"Having four days [off] would be very important to generate new entertainment activities and other ways of being occupied," he told the conference.

 

While machines should operate 24 hours a day and services should work as much as possible, Slim said people deserve more time for entertainment, family and to train for better jobs.

 

"It's a society of knowledge and experience. You have better experience and knowledge when you are 60, 65 and 70," he said.

 

Slim wasn't clear if wages should stay the same or decrease to reflect less time on the job.

 

 

He declined to throw his weight behind recent calls for workers to get paid higher wages though.

He conceded prices may have grown faster than wages, but he believes salaries will rise along with stronger growth, increased productivity and technological advances.

 

"I am sure it will happen," said Slim, although he conceded he's not exactly sure when.

 

To a certain degree, Slim has been applying this train of thought to his own businesses for years.

Slim's phone company Telmex has implemented a system where workers on a collective labour contract who joined the company in their late teens can retire before they reach 50, and can continue to work for full pay four days per week.

 

Slim also applies this philosophy to his own work life and is still active as a businessman at 74.

 

He also maintains a life full of hobbies, such as art collecting. He opened the Museo Soumaya, an art museum dedicated to both his love for art and religious relics as well as the memory of his late wife, Soumaya Domit.

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Supercharged

Singapore is pushing for Productivity.

 

As it is, some of us are clocking 12hrs per day with the exception of some. This is bcos some of us hv to take on 2 job scopes esp when coy fire n redistribute workload to existing staff. To them it is productivity cos 1 salary 2 job scopes.

 

Now this Mex radical suggestion won't go well unless it is proven that there is an increase in productivity up from current level n salary cost still can be further reduce.

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I talked to some sales ppl they only work 3days a week and less dan 11hrs/day. Their business like sell car only weekend dan busy. Other days OTOT do paperwork at home. Shiok man this kinda life. Pay wise depending on commission.

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I think 4 days work week sounds best. Resting 3 days a week is good enough even for people with family.

 

Frankly speaking, how many of us currently really can rest 2 days out of 7?

 

It's always a constant bombardment of work, family and personal issues. 2 days is probably only good for housework, kids and some maintenance related chores. That means absolutely no personal time at all.

 

Divorce rates going up and marriage rates coming down is like a double knockout [laugh]

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I think for Singapore context, 4 days week but each day 10 hours seems reasonable. Chances is employers will want to retain that 40 hours/week or 44hours/week for those 5.5 days current work week.

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look at my avatar

american dream better

burgers + fries + cold beer all week ... simi work ... song bo?

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I think for Singapore context, 4 days week but each day 10 hours seems reasonable. Chances is employers will want to retain that 40 hours/week or 44hours/week for those 5.5 days current work week.

 

this guys view is similar, but he says it does not work out for all sectors . .

 

I think from a quality of life perspective, 4x10 or 3x12 is excellent.

 

It truly doesn't work in a lot of industries though, unless you had two crews each working 3-4 days. In construction or manufacturing, for example, often times there's a limit to how much can be done in a single day, and adding hours to fewer days isn't going to deliver the same results (think concrete setting / curing).

 

Service industries or 24/7 fields like call centers or hospitals might have an easier time having 2 teams each covering 3.5 days on a relatively constant schedule.

 

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Singapore is pushing for Productivity.

 

As it is, some of us are clocking 12hrs per day with the exception of some. This is bcos some of us hv to take on 2 job scopes esp when coy fire n redistribute workload to existing staff. To them it is productivity cos 1 salary 2 job scopes.

 

Now this Mex radical suggestion won't go well unless it is proven that there is an increase in productivity up from current level n salary cost still can be further reduce.

The fact is many pple have time to surf mcf during office hours....

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