Ah, the 40-hour week, a supposed "standard" workweek that's more myth than fact. We're here to debunk the 50-hour week myth, but first, let's take aim at this supposedly "relaxed" 40-hour workweek.
In the early 1900s, Henry Ford (of Ford Motor fame) implemented a 40-hour workweek for his factory workers. But not because he cared about their well-being, but because he wanted to increase productivity and cut costs. The idea was to have his employees work 40 hours, then have them take 8 hours off, and then have them work 40 hours again. It was a clever way to keep the factory running 24/7 while paying them less.
Learn more about the origins of the 5-day workweek, which is actually the more interesting story.
In the United States, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 set the standard workweek to 40 hours. However, this doesn't mean people actually work 40 hours a week. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American works around 32 hours a week.
See how the myth of the 30-hour workweek is actually the real deal.