Workweek survey shows youngest workers are insane

There's only one reasonable interpretation of a recent survey of the type of workweek Americans desire: Millennials and members of Generation Z are foolish.

If not the only conclusion, it's at least that's the most obvious conclusion from a recent survey by data intelligence company Morning Consult, which found that 10% of each of those generations would prefer to work five hours per day, seven days a week.

Five hours per day, every day. That's right, they apparently don't want any days off if it means they can work less than six hours per day.

Madness!

Also, it's likely the opinion of people who have never had to work seven or 10 or 15 consecutive days, due to short staffing or multiple co-workers being on vacation.

Before we go further, consider what you would prefer: Given the choice of three 13-plus-hour days, four 10-hour days, five eight-hour days, six six-plus-hour days or seven five-plus-hour days, which would you pick?

Jam all your work shifts together? Spread them out over seven days? Stay with the five-day workweek and traditional two-day weekend?

Here's what the survey indicated: A plurality of people prefers a four-day, 10-hour workweek. That opinion is far from universal, as some demographics prefer the five-day, eight-hour workday (men, millennials and urbanites all rank that option first), but it's fairly popular. Among more than 1,000 working adults surveyed, 40% prefer a four-day workweek and 35% would choose a five-day week.

However, consider the big picture: Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed would prefer something other than the traditional workweek (although four 10-hour shifts it the most popular alternative). Unsurprisingly, the generation with the least amount of variety is baby boomers: 89% of us would take either a four- or five-day workweek.

It's the outliers who are most interesting: The people who would prefer to work three 13.3-hour days a week or seven, 5.7-hour days a week.

The amount of interest in the three-day, 13.3-hour workweek (other than from baby boomers) is fairly steady across generations, geographies and genders at between 5% and 10%. I can understand those people, who consider the value of a four-day weekend. I suspect many of them have never had to work back-to-back shifts of 12 hours or more, so the idea seems pleasant. The reality isn't pleasant: If you have to work that schedule it feels like all you do is work and sleep.

However, that option makes more sense than those we discussed at the start: People who would prefer to work every day (Every. Single. Day. That means Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday . . . ). Supporters of that schedule include 12% of urban dwellers and 9% of rural residents. I can understand the latter if they're farmers. Seven days of only 5.7 hours would be a break, right?

But the fact that one of 10 millennials and Gen Z members would choose to work every single day (again, that's Sunday, Monday, Tuesday . . .) indicates one of two things: Either they haven't considered what it would be like to never have a day off or they plan to call in sick twice a week.

I guess the problem would be to decide when to call in sick? I suggest Saturday and Sunday. You know, the weekend.

Reach Brad Stanhope at bradstanhope@outlook.com.