Recently, the press have been discussing the fact that many organizations in Sweden are moving to a 6 Hour working day without changing salaries. At first glance, this seems crazy, but there is a clear logic – and it’s based in pretty old (but ongoing) research.
1. Productivity
I often think about the Victorian factories and mills as a shining example of the stark change in working practices. The Victorians believed that, in order to get the most for their money, they needed to work their employees for as many hours as possible. As a result, people were often sick, and there were lots of workplace accidents.
However, in our modern world, we seem to be going the back that way. Technology has allowed us to work from anywhere. This means that people take their work home. We take phone calls on our commute, check emails before bed, or through the night, and quickly respond from beside the pool on holidays. We work around the clock, despite the fights our predecessors fought for humane working hours.
With the birth of Occupational Psychology (or business psychology), researchers investigated whether there was a way to make factory workers more productive. Munitions workers were studied during the World Wars, and it was discovered that individuals who had regular breaks were more productive than those who had no breaks. It was also discovered that those working shorter shifts were more productive than those on longer shifts. Therefore, it makes sense to reduce working hours and structure regular breaks into the working day to achieve better results – it’s a winner for everyone! Anecdotally, it makes sense. If you know you have a shorter period of time at work, you are likely to become less tired, and to work more efficiently.
2. Innovation and Service Improvements
I will always remember my piano teacher’s advice. “When you are banging your head against the wall, making the same mistake each time you practice a piece of music, you should walk away. Take ten minutes at least before you come back.” It always worked and at first I didn’t understand why.
Of course, when you keep going at something time and time again, you become more and more fatigued. If you are doing something in an inefficient way, you can also become very good at ingraining the ‘wrong way’ if you do not take time out. Sometimes, you just need to take a step back, and think about something else. When you come back with a fresh attitude and perspective, you often have the clarity of mind, and sense of calmness, to do it right all of a sudden.
The same logic applies to work. If you work all day, until you go to bed, and then you set your alarm early and immediately think about work again, you have no time for clarity of mind. You have no respite, no sense of calm. It is often said that the longer you stare at a problem, the harder it becomes. Leaving work and doing something else for an afternoon, evening and night, allows workers to return refreshed, and ready for innovation.
3. Employee Wellbeing
No one wants to feel like they spend their whole life at work. People want to see their families, have a social life, and enjoy their hobbies. In some European cities, a 9-5 working week means that in winter they barely see daylight! People who have a good work-life balance are well documented to be more committed to their work, and to speak positively about their organization and work. They are more connected to their teams, take less time off sick, and are more likely to stay with their organization.
In short, staff who feel that they have the balance right, will work in the right ways for the time that they are there. This is far more valuable than staff who pretend to fill a longer day when they are actually doing online shopping.
If you would like to speak with one of our consultants about how you could create balance for yourself, or your organization, contact us at BizPsych.