Experts Claim Bernie Sanders’ 4-Day Workweek Bill Can Cause Mental Health Issues

Experts caution against the idea of a four-day workweek championed by Sen. Bernie Sanders overlooking potential mental health drawbacks.

As the nation grapples with the idea of a four-day workweek championed by Sen. Bernie Sanders to Congress on March 13, experts caution against overlooking potential mental health drawbacks associated with such a policy shift, according to Daily Mail.

While the proposal may seem like a promising solution to alleviate stress and enhance productivity, scientists’ concerns underscore a more nuanced reality.

Abigail Marks, a Newcastle University Business School professor, highlighted overlooked complexities in the debate. “The truth is that there are problems with this attractive idea that tend to be ignored by the enthusiasts,” she remarked in her article for The Conversation.

Contrary to expectations, studies suggest that condensing work into fewer days may exacerbate employee stress and burnout. Research conducted at Auckland University in New Zealand revealed that employees face heightened stress levels as they struggle to fit their workload into a compressed time frame.

Moreover, according to the US Centers for Disease Control, reducing work days could decrease social interactions, a crucial aspect of workplace support linked to better mental health outcomes.

A Gallup poll further underscored the potential pitfalls, with respondents working a four-day week reporting higher levels of burnout and disengagement compared to their counterparts on a traditional schedule.

Experts also caution against the one-size-fits-all approach, advocating instead for flexibility tailored to individual needs. They argue that reducing workdays without addressing underlying workload intensity may exacerbate existing challenges.

While some have reported positive experiences with a condensed schedule, such as an anonymous employee from a craft brewery who found it helped to reduce stress, experts stress the need for more extensive research, particularly on the long-term effects of such arrangements.

Proposals for alternative approaches, such as adjusting the length of shifts, are gaining traction among researchers like Marks, who advocates for a six-hour workday as a potentially more effective solution for managing workloads.