You have to laugh at Sweden’s ‘experiment’ with a six-hour working day.
Results have been reported on the two-year trial and guess what – workers were happier and had more energy, but staff costs were higher as more staff were needed to fill the gaps! Surprise!
What exactly was the trial expecting to find? Were they expecting to find that people didn’t feel better when they were working less hours?
Workers in a variety of jobs were put on the six-hour days and studied closely to see what happened. Nurses were among those taking part in the trial and were unsurprisingly found to have more energy, less illness and generally more enthusiasm for their work. The nurses also reported having more time for their families and feeling happier. What a surprise!
Researchers were actually paid to work out these ‘fascinating’ results!
After trialling the six-hour scheme for two years, Gothenburg City Council has decided that despite the positive response of those taking part, six-hour working days are not economically sustainable. The trial cost Gothenburg City around £1.1million to carry out. Wow!
Councillor Daniel Bernmar told the BBC: “It’s put the shortening of the work day on the agenda both for Sweden and for Europe, which is fascinating.
“In the past 10, 15 years there’s been a lot of pressure on people working longer hours and this is sort of the contrary of that.”
I have to say though, despite the results being obvious, I like their thinking. I mean, who wouldn’t be happy with a six-hour working day?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38843341