Ask most any employer today about hiring, and you will hear much of the same: too many open jobs and not enough quality applicants to fill them. Most business owners will say they could grow their businesses exponentially if they could just find people to work. Logic might say that they simply aren’t paying enough to attract good hires, but that isn’t always the case. For many employees today, wages are secondary. What is more important, for many, is the amount of time off from work that is provided.

Meanwhile, finding employees who will work 40 hours a week is an ongoing struggle. Certain industries — like automotive sales, seasonal construction and specific service industries — require more than that and, as such, feel the hiring struggle even more.

Ever wonder where the 40-hour work week came from? According to NBC News, the 40-hour work week in the United States is “a culmination of events, including deadly accidents and sit-in strikes.” The report shares how the Ford Motor Company advanced the idea in 1914 when it scaled back from a 48-hour to a 40-hour work week. Henry Ford believed too many hours were bad for productivity. The formation of unions also was said to strengthen the idea of working five days a week. The federal government showed its support, too, when Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938.

So, how do Americans compare with other countries in hours worked?

The countries with the longest work weeks (including self-employed) in hours from 2022 data shared at worldpopulationreview.com are 1) Tanzania, 54; 2) Bangladesh, 51; 3) Senegal, 51; 4) Gambia, 50; and Qatar, 49, followed by Cambodia, Liberia, Pakistan, Jordan and Eswatini.

The countries with the shortest work weeks in hours from that same data are 1) Reunion, 29; 2) Iraq, 30; 3) Netherlands, 30; 4) Rwanda, 31; and 5) Australia, 32, followed by Malawi, Norway, United Kingdom, Austria and Germany.

And the United States? The answer is 37.

The study points out that determining average hours worked per work week can be a challenging task “due to differing philosophies on what activities qualify as work and who is considered a worker.” However, with enough data, trends emerge. Makes sense. Now get back to work.

Have a terrific Tuesday, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com

CITYVIEW announced its 2023 Best Of Des Moines readers' choices Jan. 31. You can find all the results from the poll in the February issue of CITYVIEW magazine!

Best Local Jewelry Store

1. Josephs Jewelers

2. Prysm Body Piercing & Jewelry Gallery;

3. Christopher’s Fine Jewelry

SEE EVENT PHOTOS HERE...

Your Clear Mortgage forecast from Jason Parkin

Warming continues today and tomorrow. A weak front will pass through late Thursday and knock dewpoints down a bit, leaving us with a slightly cooler Thursday and Friday. Warming commences again for the weekend and into next week. Rain chances are slim.

For help with preapprovals or refinancing, get in touch with Jason at parkin.mortgage

Meet Emma Davis

Emma Davis attended Clear Creek Amana High School where she participated in band, speech, drama, yearbook and golf. She then received a degree from the University of Northern Iowa where she was also on the speech team. After student teaching, Davis began her search for a job as a high school English teacher. When she interviewed with the Winterset Community School District, she was impressed with the staff, school and community support.

“I love working in a district where the staff has a strong sense of community. Everyone here genuinely cares about each other, and I feel as though I’m really seen and valued by our district,” she says.

Today, Davis teaches ninth-grade English at Winterset High School. One unit includes reading the play “Romeo and Juliet.” Her students then participate in a panel discussion about the themes of the story. For this project, students act as characters from the play and answer questions their peers come up with.

... Read more in the May issue of Winterset  Living magazine.

Happy Birthday Martha Munro!

These celebrities were born on this date: Joan Collins, Melissa McBride, Drew Carey, Ryan Coogler, Jewel, Linda Thompson, Jordan Zimmermann, Tim Hightower

SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

The answer to yesterday's riddle:
Where do llama criminals get sent when they’re caught? THE SLLAMA! (THE SLAMMER)! - Rex Post, Judy Anderson, Gail Tomlinson. Or, Alpacatraz (Alcatraz)! Carolyn Rogers

Today's Riddle

What is it called when you get stuck between two llamas?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

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