People are questioning the need for 8-hour workdays, sparking fierce debate

While the 8-hour workday might be deemed the ideal standard for productivity, it might not always offer the work-life balance that employees need. People are tied to their jobs and sacrifice their evenings being stuck in traffic and coping with burnout. As the boundary between work and life blurs away, people have little to no time for relaxation or self-care. So, what would be an ideal workday that wouldn't drain someone out of their wits? An employee who goes by u/akahaze26 on Reddit shared their opinion about working for 8 hours in the office and this sparked a fervent discussion.

The individual started their post with the question, "Why do we work 8 hours a day?" They can't fathom the point behind this norm but they understand that it is necessary for some roles, like security guards. However, in an office setting with clear tasks, they wonder why should one stay for 8 hours. "If I have completed all of those duties, why do I need to waste my time just sitting here?" they asked. The employee pointed out that leaving early could help in avoiding traffic, catching up with family and allotting time for self-care. Taking time off made them feel rejuvenated, not because they disliked working, but because they wanted time to truly live outside of work.

Frustrated by seeing salaried colleagues with more critical roles arrive after them and leave before them, the employee highlights how flexibility is effectuated backward. "Oh, and don't even get me started on the 30-minute 'lunch break.' If it were up to me, I wouldn't even take the stupid 30 minutes. I would rather leave 30 minutes early!" they said. Stating the need to reconsider our work culture, the employee made a valid point about how it doesn't foster productivity instead, drains the employees' energy and ruins their work-life balance. This post attracted diverse opinions with some highlighting how we got down to an 8-hour work day - but there was a unanimous consensus that it was indeed a cumbersome norm. 

"It used to be 10-12 hours a day before unions stepped in. Corporations and capitalism only stopped using slaves when the law stepped in. They still do everything they can to keep as many of us as wage slaves as possible. What we need is 8 hours for 4 days a week with no loss in pay. They can definitely afford $20-25 minimum wage," said u/thinkb4youspeak. "Because labor unions busted their ass to make sure we didn’t have to work 12, 16, or 18 hours per day anymore.

Also, wage theft that ensures all the benefits from productivity increases go to the top only," remarked u/causticmango. "Right? It feels so outdated. Why waste time when the work’s done? We should be able to leave early and actually live our lives!" added u/mertmsg.

A few others sarcastically suggested some possibilities as to why corporations don't want employees to have free time. "To keep you 'busy' and away from so 'dangerous' free-thinking, so you could only slave away and spend money," quipped u/RestaurantTurbulent7. "If you’re tired and or busy, your masters can control you better. They hide free energy, technology and the proof aliens from us, because they don’t want to lose control of the sheep," shared u/FacelessFellow. "So rich executives can get more money, obviously. In fact, you should work 14 hours a day, stop being selfish, that CEO's second yacht isn't cheap," u/open_world_RPG_fan.