Tuesday

Phil Tinline charts the progression of the working week over five days. Today, how Henry Ford kicked off our obsession with the Monday-Friday 9-5.

In this series Phil Tinline charts the progression of the working week over five days. Some of us head into the office on a Tuesday, but Phil heads to the 95 year old Ford engine plant in Dagenham to learn about the beginnings of the working week as we know it.

Phil finds out how and why Ford implemented his vision of a five day work week, and, speaking to plant workers and managers, whether the model that he created in 1926 lives on today.

But did Henry Ford really invent it, and why did it stick? Speaking to historians, Phil looks into the machinations of early 20th century society from which the 40 hr work week emerged as the go to option. Its midwives included captains of industry, organised labour, technological progress, politics and the growth of consumption.

Presenter: Phil Tinline
Producer: Sam Peach