The 40-hour work week was popularized and effectively introduced by Henry Ford in 1926. Ford implemented the 40-hour work week with a five-day work schedule without cutting wages after discovering through research that working more hours yielded only a small increase in productivity. This move by Ford influenced many companies to adopt the 40-hour work week. However, the legal establishment of the 40-hour work week in the United States came later with the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which initially capped workweeks at 44 hours and was amended to 40 hours per week by 1940. Early advocacy for shorter workdays, such as the 8-hour workday, dates back to the early 19th century, with figures like Robert Owen promoting this idea long before it became law.