In this week’s Our Take, we look at the surprising benefits of a 4-day week, how a smart pink toy is making dumbphones cool, the IKEA launch that promises to put us to sleep, and the get-rich glitch that is getting TikTokers convicted of fraud.
Flexibility, Productivity, Bonkability
The work-life balance revolution is here and the UK, South Korea and Japan are pioneering efforts to introduce four-day workweeks. These changes aren’t just about cutting hours—they’re about boosting productivity, enhancing well-being and tackling demographic challenges.
In the UK, the Labour government is shaking things up by proposing a plan that could give workers the right to request a four-day work-week without reducing their contracted hours. While flexible hours are already an option, employers aren’t legally obliged to agree. The shift could make flexible working the new normal, except where it’s not reasonably feasible.
Over in South Korea, where long hours and high stress are the norms, a four-day work-week experiment is underway. The goal? To ease burnout and address the nation’s declining population. More time at home could help boost family life and even improve fertility rates, all while enhancing overall quality of life.
Japan, a country where ‘karoshi’ (death from overwork) is a chilling reality, is also pushing for a four-day week. This isn’t just about preventing burnout—it’s a strategy to fight labour shortages and create a healthier, more sustainable workforce.
As these nations move towards shorter workweeks, they’re not just improving lives—they’re redefining the future of work and challenging traditional norms. The four-day workweek could become a global standard for a healthier, more balanced life.
Digital detox in a Barbie world
With smartphone addiction a growing concern for parents of children, and even for adults themselves, it’s easy to understand the appeal of dumbphones. Of course, it’s also easy to understand why, especially for teens, the combination of being connected to friends, and the social status of having a smart phone –dumbphones about as desirable as a 6-day workweek.
But with the launch of the Barbie phone, dumbphones may be having a moment. It doesn’t have an advanced camera. It doesn’t have unlimited internet access. It only has one game. But the proudly pink flip-brick does have something that a vintage Nokia hasn’t had since 2006 – social cachet.
The phone may have been intended for younger kids, but with its toy-like appearance and flamboyantly garish design, the HMD-made phone has made a splash with statement-seeking teens and adults.
Smart move, Barbie.
IKEA WAKES UP TO IMPORTANCE OF SLEEP
Hey there, sleepyheads! IKEA just made history (and maybe your dreams too) by breaking the world record for the world’s largest pyjama party.
To celebrate the importance of a good night’s sleep, over 2000 IKEA employees in Älmhult, Sweden, showed up sporting matching two-piece PJs, featuring Swedish meatball motifs,
IKEA is dedicating a whole year to helping everyone get better sleep. They’re talking about comfy mattresses, cozy bedding, and even tips for creating the perfect sleep haven.
And no, this isn’t something random a sleepy employee concocted – the IKEA Life at Home report wakes us up to the fact that while 55% of adults rate sleep as their most important well-being activity at home, half of us don’t get nearly enough of it, affecting daily functioning and work performance.
Well done Ikea, on a launch event with real pizzazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Get-Rich Glitch
TikTok’s latest “get-rich-quick” trick has left some users buried in debt—and possibly facing jail time.
The so-called “Chase Bank Glitch” meant that cheques deposited in the bank’s ATMs were cleared instantly, giving customers immediate access to the promised money.
The trick that went viral on TikTok? Step 1: Write a cheque for an amount of money you don’t have. Step 2: Deposit the cheque. Step 3: Withdraw your new free money.
What could possibly go wrong?
Chase fixed the glitch within days, but not before videos of people making it rain with their ill-gotten gains went viral.
The aftermath? Massive debts, frozen accounts, and the very real possibility of criminal charges.
The lesson? If it sounds too good to be true, it probably ends with a trip to the courthouse, not the bank.