a Four day workweek

The reading and the listening are both about the idea of four-day workweek. The author suggests three main benefits of working four day in a week. The professor from the listening passage disagrees with the author and he casts doubt on these three points made by the author. First of all, according to the author four-day workweek would increase companies profits since employees would have more time to be relaxed and therefore, they would be more productive. On the other hand, the professor does not agree with the author. He mentions that if the companies apply this less working time program, they would be faced with new costs. He explains his point by mentioning that since hiring more people even for less hours is a costly process, additionally these new workers would also need health benefits and training and overall all of the process comes with new expenses. The professor also adds that there will be more office space needed. Secondly, the writing mentions that unemployment rates would be reduced, since the companies would hire more people. The lecturer, on the contrary, refuses, this by saying that with a high possibility the companies would follow different directions than hiring new workers. He gives examples of this opinion by stating that the companies would make their employees work overtime, therefore the hiring rates would remain the same. Finally, the writer points out that workers would spend more time with their loved ones. It is noted that the workers would have more leisure time within this four day a week working program. The professor, however, casts doubt on this claim made by the author. He mentions that having more free time for workers would result in decreasing job stability and might affect negatively to the workers ambition to advancing their careers. Moreover, the professor continues by mentioning that if there would be an economic crisis these people who work less hours would be the most affected ones.