We’ve grown so accustomed to the idea of the 8-hour (or longer) workday that anything shorter seems like it would be just plain unproductive or some office pipe dream.
Some companies in Sweden, however, have adopted a 6-hour day, and the reasons behind this are quite impressive.
Increased Productivity with More Time for You
Linus Feldt is the CEO of Filimundus. His company has recently adopted a six-hour workday. His reasoning?
To stay focused for eight hours on a single task is a big challenge. We mix things up and take breaks to make workdays more bearable. We also find it difficult to balance our personal life with work. “We want to spend time with our family, learn new things, or exercise more,” he says.
He thinks that if he gives his employees more free time to do the things they enjoy at home, then they will be more motivated to go to work. To accommodate the 6-hour day, managers asked employees to avoid social media at work and cut back on some weekly meetings.
Feldt says that the change has had almost no negative impact on employees, who are just as productive as they were in eight hours.
Employees are more Loyal.
Maria Brath is another CEO who changed her company’s workday to six hours. On the company website, she says, ” Once you get used to the time you have for your family, for picking up your kids from daycare, for training for a marathon, or for cooking at home good food, you won’t want that time to be taken away again.” This is why we think it’s a great reason to stay.
She believes their 6-hour day contributes to loyalty. She believes that by showing her employees how much the company cares for them and giving them more time off from work, they will be more inclined to stay.
Brath reports that her employees have a higher level of creativity and productivity, are happier at work, and are more rested. Feldt’s company has also seen similar results. He said, “I’m absolutely certain that more people will choose to have more time off over a higher salary.”
This new business model is gaining popularity in Sweden, with positive results. We hope it will spread to other countries.
What do you think about this? Would you be more efficient in a six-hour day than an eight-hour? Please share your thoughts below!