Can you be more productive with less time to work? It seems possible following the success of a long-running trial in Iceland with participants showing a higher level of productivity working shorter hours.
The study deemed an “overwhelming success” began with a select group of Icelandic workers securing contracts to shorten their hours. Iceland conducted two large-scale trials to prove this theory between 2015-2019cutting work weeks from the standard 40 hours to work weeks consisting of 35 to26 hours.
The study’s success has translated into 170,200 union members of Iceland’s working population of 196,700 working under shorter-hour contracts according to CNBC. Now, 86% of Iceland’s working population operates on shorter-hour contracts or utilized “new mechanisms made available to them through which they can negotiate shorter hours in their workplace” since the release of the study.
This study indicates improved wellbeing and work-life balance among workers because workers found it was easier to make more time for themselves and easier to complete household errands. The report also indicated men participants took on more household responsibilities following the beginning of the trial.