The quality of work life can be measured in part by the amount of time spent on the job and the flexibility of that time. If the income goal of workers has always been more, the counterpart goal for hours worked has always been less. Thus, the mark of improvement in worker welfare is reflected not only by higher real wages but by a shorter workweek as well. Where more than one shift is employed, the part of the day to be worked has also been a matter of concern. The inconvenience of working nights has long been offset by premium pay, as has the inconvenience of working weekends and holidays. Today, as a result of the enormous gains made in shortening work hours, there is increasing interest in the pattern of time worked. The employee interest in working fewer hours has not disappeared, but in popular debate it has been overshadowed in the 1970s by the interest, first, in the four-day week and, more recently, in flexible time. Management has taken the initiative in experimenting with these different time patterns primarily in an effort to determine whether a more flexible approach to the hours of work would payoff in lower absenteeism, higher worker morale, and more efficient use of plant and equipment-with a resultant payoff in higher productivity leia todo o artigo
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