How much should we work?
The recent demand for greater flexibility in working life has led to shorter working weeks for the same salary becoming more common. But how much should we work, and what will the consequences of shorter working hours be?
Around 50 years ago, we went from a six-day working week to a five-day, 40-hour working week, which met resistance back then, and remains a subject for debate today. The debate picked up speed again during the pandemic when employers and employees searched for new, better working arrangements. Many people today have great expectations of flexibility, which has led companies and organisations to investigate whether a transition to a shorter, more concentrated working week could be part of the solution. In 2021, DIK, the union for people working or studying in the culture, communication and creative sectors, resolved to promote the 35-hour working week. Since June 2022, the Swedish Municipal Workers Union has also been working to achieve a 30-hour week with no loss of pay.
In a survey conducted by Gartner, an American consultancy firm, 63 per cent of respondents said that the offer of a four-day working week would be the best way to attract them to a future position. The same survey showed that following the pandemic, 71 per cent of millennials have reassessed the place that work should occupy in their lives. According to the Workmonitor survey, conducted by Dynata on behalf of the recruitment company Randstad, almost 37 per cent of Swedes want a four-day week to obtain a better balance between private life and a more flexible working life.
How are we affected by working less?
Working less has proven to be beneficial for both physical and mental health. In 2017, a study by the Department of Psychology at Stockholm University followed almost 600 employees at 33 workplaces, where employees worked six-hour days. The results showed that we stress less and sleep more when we work two hours less a day. Many also experience positive effects such as reduced anxiety and fatigue. According to a study with 61 companies and almost 3 000 employees conducted by the UK think tank Autonomy, the risk of employees handing in their notice fell by 57 per cent in four-day working weeks. Also, 95 per cent of the companies realised that productivity remained unchanged or even improved during the test. According to a study from Perpetual Guardian in New Zealand, productivity in 78 per cent of employees increased following the introduction of a four-day working week. This can lead to improved well-being and better health among personnel as it allows more time for recovery and rest, which reduces the risk of burnout, sick leave and other work-related health problems.
However, it can be a challenge for some companies to implement shorter working weeks without disrupting operations. Although overall productivity seems to be increasing, each individual shift can be less efficient if employees take longer to get into the workflow and feel they are under pressure to do more in less time. If personnel must also work late to complete all their assignments, there is a risk of overtime and stress, thereby counteracting the purpose of reducing the working week to promote wellness and job satisfaction. And even during their spare time, personnel may not get the recovery and rest they need due to a guilty conscience or feeling they could have done more. This is according to Helena Schiller, Doctor of Public Health.
What does a shorter working week mean for companies?
Shorter working weeks can be an attractive benefit when recruiting and provide companies increased profitability. In studies from 4 Day Week Global, companies that tested four-day work weeks were shown to have increased profitability by 36 per cent compared to the previous year. A shorter working week is also more eco-friendly as there are fewer commutes and CO2 emissions. According to a Greenpeace report, a four-day working week in the UK could cut emissions by up to 127 million tonnes per year.
Critics argue that shorter working weeks mean a risk of a drop in productivity, and thus lost revenue for companies. Shorter working weeks can also represent a cost for employers if it means hiring more people. Reduced availability to customers and clients is a further disadvantage. Also, some are of the opinion that working hours cannot be reduced fairly as it’s not practicable in all occupations such as healthcare and social care, which means it would become a privilege for people who work in industries that are more easily rationalised.
Companies that practice shorter working weeks
Today, several companies are practising shorter working weeks. One of them is Sandqvist, a Swedish bag company which works with the model known as 100/80/100, i.e. 100 per cent pay for 80 per cent working hours but with 100 per cent productivity. Employees get to choose whether they work four days a week, or six hours a day for five days. What began as a six-month test is now permanent. Among other things, the new working hours have resulted in employees becoming less stressed, more efficient and better at structuring and planning. They also note greater commitment, a strong team spirit and greater job satisfaction among other outcomes. Despite their having removed several hundred hours a month, Sandqvist has not noted any decline in productivity or loss of revenues, as employees take greater responsibility for their working hours. The Oh My communication agency, Tegel & Hatt design agency and Oss Creative advertising agency also introduced shorter working weeks several years ago. They note several positive effects in their employees, who are less stressed and have more energy.
The MKB municipal housing company in Malmö is also testing a shorter working week, with the goal of a 32-hour week for all employees by 2030. The plan is to introduce it through more efficient working methods in the organisation, such as handling cases via video calls, signing contracts digitally and spending less time on administration. Employees say they feel more alert and happier when they get to work, which helps them perform their tasks even better than before. Furthermore, different ways of reducing working hours are also being tested where the effects of dedicating leisure time to physical activity and being free to choose are compared. It was noted that employees had to perform some kind of physical activity for there to be a positive effect on their self-assessed health.