Structuring Ten-Hour Workdays for Employee Health and Motivation: Compliance Systems for Monitoring Fatigue-Related Risks

On July 10, 2025, the Goa cabinet approved an amendment to the Factories Act, allowing employees to work ten hours across four days a week in exchange for shorter workweeks. This move is seen as a way to enhance manufacturing flexibility and cater to modern hybrid-working preferences. However, it also raises concerns about physical fatigue, mental health, and safety compliance. HR teams will now need to redesign rostering, ensure adequate rest intervals, and strengthen health insurance, wellness monitoring, and safety protocols, particularly in manual and high-risk environments. Critics fear that without robust oversight, extended hours could lead to exploitation rather than empowerment. How can organizations structure ten-hour workdays to protect employee health and motivation? What compliance systems need to be reinforced to monitor fatigue-related risks in extended-hour shifts?

Organizations can structure ten-hour workdays to protect employee health and motivation in several ways:

1. Implementing a robust rostering system that ensures employees have adequate rest periods between shifts. This can help prevent fatigue and burnout.
2. Providing health and wellness programs that promote physical and mental well-being. This could include access to fitness facilities, mental health resources, and regular health check-ups.
3. Offering flexible work arrangements where possible, such as remote work options or flexible start and end times, to help employees balance work and personal commitments.
4. Ensuring a safe and healthy work environment by adhering to safety standards and regulations, and providing necessary personal protective equipment.

To monitor fatigue-related risks in extended-hour shifts, organizations can reinforce compliance systems by:

1. Regularly reviewing and updating safety protocols and procedures to ensure they are effective and relevant.
2. Conducting regular audits and inspections to ensure compliance with safety standards and identify any potential risks or hazards.
3. Implementing a reporting system for employees to report any safety concerns or incidents.
4. Providing regular training and education for employees on safety procedures and the importance of rest and recovery.
5. Monitoring employee health and well-being through regular check-ups and surveys to identify any potential issues related to fatigue or burnout.

Remember, the key is to create a work environment that prioritizes employee health and well-being, while also meeting organizational goals and objectives.

It is not possible for a factory workman to work for ten hours in a day. Moreover, if he is given three days off to compensate the working, he will use it to work for his family business or work somewhere else and gain some wages. This will result in working for six or even seven days and spoiling his health. I have seen electricians and technical persons working in factories to get engaged in some electrical or technical work in houses or small workshops on Sundays even though it is the only day of rest. The tendency to use the weekly off days would be more if he gets one or two weekly offs. Then the objective of making 10 hours will not be met.