In Sweden, an Experiment Turns Shorter Workdays Into Bigger Gains

[Kelvin Mace]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/21/business/international/in-sweden-an-experiment-turns-shorter-workdays-into-bigger-gains.html?_r=0

GOTHENBURG, Sweden — Arturo Perez used to come home frazzled from his job as a caregiver at the Svartedalens nursing home. Eight-hour stretches of tending to residents with senility or Alzheimer’s would leave him sapped with little time to spend with his three children.

But life changed when Svartedalens was selected for a Swedish experiment about the future of work. In a bid to improve well-being, employees were switched to a six-hour workday last year with no pay cut. Within a week, Mr. Perez was brimming with energy, and residents said the standard of care was higher.

“What’s good is that we’re happy,” said Mr. Perez, a single father. “And a happy worker is a better worker.”

The experiment at Svartedalens goes further by mandating a 30-hour week. An audit published in mid-April concluded that the program in its first year had sharply reduced absenteeism, and improved productivity and worker health.

“We’ve had 40 years of a 40-hour workweek, and now we’re looking at a society with higher sick leaves and early retirement,” said Daniel Bernmar, leader of the Left party on Gothenburg’s City Council, which is running the trial and hopes to make it the standard. “We want a new discussion in Sweden about how work life should be to maintain a good welfare state for the next 40 years.”

Yet another great program we will never see in this country. Socialism, doncha know. Can't have that. Got to work 2-3 part time jobs with no benefits and 60-80 hours a week until you are 80+ years old. Preferably up to the day you die, and could you arrange for someone to cover your shifts that day?

[Ilsa]

1. Hubby works almost twice as many hours,

And I bet we are less financially secure.

[Kelvin Mace]

2. Most people are near the brink financially

Housing, medical care, college and childcare expenses are through the roof, and wages are down for about 80% of the country.

[Blue_Tires]

3. Personally, I'd MUCH rather see a 32-hour, four-day week...

Four days on and three days off is the secret to life... (and have half the workforce split between having Friday/Monday off so there is full coverage)

I have no doubt that if this was adopted the world over, most of our problems would be over very quickly...

[AwakeAtLast]

4. And productivity would skyrocket. n/t

[Kelvin Mace]

5. My sister works for a company that gives her a choice of four 10 hour days

They want that 40.