Birth of the Weekend Today marks 100 years since Ford Motor Company became one of the first American companies to officially adopt the five-day, 40-hour workweek for factory workers, a decision that reshaped work-life balance. Henry Ford’s idea to eliminate Saturday from the workweek initially met hesitation from some hourly workers worried about reduced pay. However, his daily wages of $5 to $6—roughly double the industry average—helped to ease concerns ( read 1920s reactions ). Ford reportedly redirected Saturday wages to hire thousands more people for Monday through Friday shifts, reducing unemployment. The move also boosted productivity, reduced turnover, strengthened morale, and gave workers more leisure time, some of which they spent buying and traveling in Ford cars. The US formally codified the 40-hour workweek in 1940, mandating overtime pay for hourly employees. More recently, momentum has grown aro...
“Celebrating 25 Years of Service: Unite, Ignite, and Empower” “We train and support volunteer leaders of credit unions serving first responders to run stronger, more effective institutions.” “Great things happen when credit unions serving first responders come together. Our face-to-face and on-line interaction is the platform where collaboration begins, and GREAT ideas are generated.”