New Study: Shorter Work Week Good for Productivity

Companies in the study reported fewer sick days, fewer employee resignations and a positive effect on productivity. Most of the participating companies and organizations chose to continue reduced working hours even after the study.

The study concluded that, among other things, 70 percent of employees reported reduced levels of burnout and 40 percent reported feeling less stressed.

Göran Käglund, a professor at the Institute for Stress Research at Stockholm University, has read the report.

– This agrees with the results of earlier Swedish studies. You feel better if you work less hours and get the same salary, he says.

Not published

But the reliability of the study has been questioned. It has not been published in a scientific journal, meaning the researchers behind it have not presented their methods in as much detail as publication. Other researchers also did not review the research.

Also, the study was conducted for only six months.

– This is too short a time to say anything about the long-term effects of reducing working hours, for example sick leave. But it would be interesting to do a similar study in Sweden, but with a more scientific method, says Göran Käglund.

“Non-Critical Approach”

behind Report British think tank Autonomous Research, which describes itself as independent progressive, and researchers from the University of Cambridge and Boston College. The study was carried out in partnership with 4 Day Week Global and the 4 Day Week Campaign, which campaigns for shorter working weeks in the UK and globally.

– I feel they have a very non-judgmental attitude. I wonder if they’re interested in finding flaws, says Goran Geklund.

“A six-hour day is better than a four-day week” – hear what some people think about working less in the clip above.