On 25 September 1926, industrial magnate Henry Ford stunned the world by announcing an 8-hour, 5-day work week for employees at the Ford Motor Company, a radical shift from the gruelling six-day norm that had defined the American workforce.
Ford's decision was not merely an act of benevolence but a strategic move to enhance productivity, boost employee morale, and encourage a balanced lifestyle—principles that would ripple across industries, eventually setting the standard for modern labour practices.
This landmark change underscored Ford's belief that workers deserved time for rest and leisure, a notion that reshaped the landscape of employment and solidified his legacy as a forward-thinking industrialist.
