Several trials of a four-day workweek done in Iceland were overwhelmingly successful. Many workers started working shorter hours and this didn’t affect their productivity negatively.
In fact, in some cases, it actually improved it. Researchers say this is groundbreaking proof for the efficacy of reducing work hours for the well-being of employees.
Four-Day Workweek Trial Was a Success, Say Icelanders
Some of the major findings of the trials say that a shorter working week led to better well-being in the employees among various indicators from stress to burnout and health to work-life balance.
Solving these issues is a must considering the increasing reports of burnout among workers worldwide after a more-than-a-year of pandemic-caused stress and mental health problems.
The trials done in the period between 2015 and 2019 were initiated by the Reykjavik City Council and the Icelandic national government as a response to the demands of the civil society organizations and the trade unions to shorten the workweek.
The trials included 2500 workers or more than a percent of the working population of the nation. They moved from working 40 hours per week to working 35 or 36 hours on a weekly basis without having their pay lowered.
The participants said how the reduction of their workweek helped them run errands, do home duties, work out, and spend more time with their family and friends. This is usually translated into decreased stress and better social well-being.
What Did the Results from the Study Show?
The results they collected from various types of workplaces, from preschools to offices, helped the researchers conclude that the positive effects from the shorter working week are advantageous for the employees and businesses equally.
According to Will Stronge, director of research at the think tank Autonomy, this study is proof that a shorter working week is overwhelmingly successful. This program will be used as a landmark pilot which will be applied as a precedent for other public authorities.
The Icelandic ALDA and the Autonomy organization from the UK that does research on the future of work and economic planning published the findings from these large-scale trials recently.
What’s more, John Pencavel, professor emeritus from Stanford University emphasizes that the problems arising from balancing between work and life are on people’s minds a lot.
Pencavel examined the connection between hours and productivity.
Although he didn’t know sufficient data about the Iceland findings to assess them, he notes that the research shows that the workers see diminishing returns at a point when their working hours increase and consequently, work poorer when they don’t get the needed rest days.
Companies may also benefit from reducing their work hours-it could mean paying less for the same services.
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