Know how you gleefully say TGIF when Fridays roll around? It’s one of the greatest feelings in the world—knowing that you have two days off work. Two full days of relaxation and cheer. But did you know that there was a time when it was a must for workers to work seven days a week? That there was a time when there were no days off and no leaves?
All of that changed after the industrial revolution. Sundays became casual days off—but reserved for Church.
Regular Saturday weekends were invented later, courtesy of Henry Ford.
Wait, Ford Invented the Long Weekend?
Yes, that’s true. The Fords we love are only the second greatest thing Henry Ford gave us—the first is no-work Saturdays.
It was on May 1st, 1926 when the Ford Moto Company went against societal norms and gave everyone a 5-day week. The weekend was invented and workers no longer had to come in on Saturdays.
And that’s not all. Earlier, Ford upped the stakes for minimum wages too: at a time when other companies were paying workers a minimum wage of $2.34, Ford paid his workers $5. This was more than double the standard minimum wage.
But did Ford actually get something out of it?
He did. Ford got what he wanted: increased productivity among workers. In addition to this, he ensured that workers were loyal to his company. His workers felt a certain pride in working for a man who cared for them. “Every man,” said Edsel Ford, “needs more than one day a week for rest and recreation.”
But Why Are We Talking About Who Invented The Weekend?
Ford’s decision to turn to a 40-hour workweek wasn’t just a Ford company policy. New weekend policies were soon created by several companies, not just around the country, but around the world.
It wasn’t just a company policy—Ford set a trend that we follow to this day.
As a business owner, your employees should be your top priority. Not only does productivity lie in their happiness and health, but your brand reputation also does too. The more you tell existing and prospective consumers that you’re good to your employees, the greater your chances of having a good rap with them.
There’s a reason Amazon gets a bad rap—getting sued by workers and onlookers alike.
And then you have that boss who put every employee on $70k—and broke the internet. If you’re looking for long-term customers who choose you because of your company policies, then think about how Ford created the weekend. Start working on the happiness of your employees. Better still, document the changes you’re making and share BTS videos or photos on social media to get people talking.
And there are few better ways than to do it through a social media influencer who can give you that immediate boost you’re looking for.
Finding Social Media Influencers
Don’t waste time on social media looking for an influencer when you can find one easily through Afluencer. Use the app to bridge the gap between businesses and influencers—get to know more about us or how about signing up for our influencer marketing services.