Americans are slave-to-the-grind servants when it comes to our jobs of long hours and low pay, while Germany, France, and other Europeans have a more worker-oriented-style. They get lots of holidays, days off, 35-hour workweeks and email is blocked on the weekend. Mercedes-Benz owner Daimler is testing 28 hour work weeks.

 

While they have high-production and are happier, Americans seem to get fat, stressed out and a bit haggard from never-enough-sleep.

 

Could Wyoming learn something from the Europeans? It seems the answer is yes.

 

Since 1817, we’ve supposedly enjoyed an 8-hour workday / 40 hour workweek. But most in business work more than that and if you have a phone, you are never really off-the-clock. One man is bucking that trend, with great success.

 

“This CEO gives his employees a 3-day weekend every month — and productivity has skyrocketed”

 

The CEO of advertising and marketing firm SteelHouse, Mark Douglas, already gives employees $2,000/year to take vacations and its working. People work harder for a company that cares about them and in return, they care about.

 

Now, he’s added ‘SteelHouse Days,’ 3-days weekends added to the months that don’t have one already and workplace energy, morale and productivity are way up.

 

With President Trump’s campaign to bring American businesses back home doing so well, we should also consider new ways of being more productive, and especially here in Wyoming, where so many are leaving the state for greener pastures.

 

Governor Mead has pushed for more business opportunities for Wyoming. Shouldn’t we also look for better business practices to retain our people and reap the benefits of adjusted work practices?

 

Discuss.

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