Do Scandinavian Countries Get More Out of their Employees Working Fewer Hours?

The United States, Japan, Germany and other industrialized countries tend to place a high value on hard-working employees. They usually assume that they can get more output from employees that work longer hours. According to a 2014 poll from Gallup, the average American works 47 hours a week, even though they are considered “full-time” at 40 hours.

Some Scandinavian countries are making American employers rethink these models. People work much fewer hours per week in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway than most OECD countries. People working in these countries tend to be very productive.

However, there are some nuances to consider. Are these models workable over the long-term?

 

Sweden’s New Six-Hour Workday: a Model for All?

Sweden recently introduced a six-hour workday experiment. The experiment showed some promising benefits.

One of the main benefits was a reduction in sick-leave. The experiment compared nurses working six hour days with nurses working eight hour days (higher than the average workweek before the experiment began). They noticed that the nurses in the six-hour workday group took 4.7% fewer sick days. The workers in the other group took 60% more sick days that before the trial began.

By taking fewer sick days, the workers in the six-hour group were able to partially make up for the reduced workload.

This wasn’t the only benefit of the project. Patient care also improved. The authors feel that the lower workload indicates that nurses were less overworked, which suggests that employees in other industries would be more productive under similar guidelines.

 

Is the System Financially Viable?

The financial sustainability of these reduced workdays depends on a variety of factors. In many industries, worker value is highly correlated to productivity. In other fields, employee productivity isn’t easily quantified. Workers may not be more valuable, simply because they are more alert.

The Swedish experiment showed that the city had to pay nearly 1.4 million kroner to employ more nurses during the duration of the experiment. This suggests the health care field may not benefit from the reduced workday hours to the same degree as manufacturers and other employers that have strong productivity requirements.

However, evidence from Denmark shows that there is a clear middle ground. The average woman works 35 hours a week, while the average man works 41 hours. The system has functioned sustainably for a long time, which suggests that countries don’t need to rely on workers putting in as many hours as they clock in the United States.

 

How Could Employers Make a Similar System Work?

Evidence from Scandinavian countries shows that workers don’t need to put in as many hours as they do. However, employers would need to take a few things into consideration before implementing a similar model here.

Making Expectations Clear

Many employees don’t have enough work to keep them busy during the day. However, others are already worked to the bone. You can help them meet expectations by minimizing busywork. At the same time, they need to make sure that their most important tasks are accomplished by the end of each workday. Let them know that you will be using time tracking software and tracking progress on all tasks to ensure they are on schedule.

Addressing Concerns With Social Loafing

Too many employees waste time on social media. According to a 2013 study, social media use is costing employers $650 billion a year.

If employers expect to gain enough output from their employees while allowing them to work fewer hours, they would need to place strict limits on social media use. Many companies block access to certain sites during work hours.

However, they also should be careful not to censor social media too heavily. Many employees depend on social media to do their job. They use it for research and to coordinate with their coworkers.

A Shorter Workweek Could Work

Evidence from other countries shows that working a shorter workweek could help employees be more productive. However, employers would need to plan carefully. They need to begin by setting clear benchmarks, carefully tracking performance and providing the resources employees need to do their jobs more efficiently.

The financial sustainability of these reduced workdays depends on a variety of factors. In many industries, worker value is highly correlated to productivity. In other fields, employee productivity isn’t easily quantified. Workers may not be more valuable, simply because they are more alert.

The Swedish experiment showed that the city had to pay nearly 1.4 million kroners to employ more nurses during the duration of the experiment. This suggests the healthcare field may not benefit from the reduced workday hours to the same degree as manufacturers and other employers that have strong productivity requirements.

However, evidence from Denmark shows that there is a clear middle ground. The average woman works 35 hours a week, while the average man works 41 hours. The system has functioned sustainably for a long time, which suggests that countries don’t need to rely on workers putting in as many hours as they clock in the United States.

Evidence from Scandinavian countries shows that workers don’t need to put in as many hours as they do. However, employers would need to take a few things into consideration before implementing a similar model here.