There is an intense debate about whether it is better to work 6 hours a day or 8 as in most companies . While some companies do not agree, others apply policies that aim to reduce the time workers spend in the workplace.

Live to work or work to live? That’s the question.

Benefits of working 6 hours a day

Now, what are the advantages of working 6 hours a day? In the following lines you can find the answer to this question.

1. Increased productivity

While not everyone agrees that there are numerous benefits to working 6 hours, some researchers have found that there are. A study conducted in Sweden, which lasted about a year, concluded that there are.

A group of nurses from the Svarte Dalens retirement home participated in the event, working for 6 hours on an 8-hour salary. The results were clear, working that amount of hours increases the productivity and, therefore, there are improvements in the objectives of the company.

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2. Decrease in stress levels

The same Swedish study, which was carried out in February 2015, also showed that 6 hours of work improves the well-being of workers, and makes them perceive the working environment as healthier.

There is a lot of research that has shown that stress levels decrease in 6-hour shifts , and in the case of the Swedish experiment, it showed improvements in the care that nurses gave to their patients. In other jobs, and as in the previous point, the economic results of the companies improve.

3. Improved general welfare of workers

Work is a very important aspect of our lives, and being bad at work will have repercussions on a person’s general well-being and daily life.

Another Swedish study conducted in Gothenburg and lasting two years concluded that workers were not only happier at work, but also outside it . The benefits of six-hour shifts are undeniable for the employees.

4. Minor absences

Working six hours a day reduces the chances of getting sick and therefore of being absent from work, according to research carried out at the Svarte Dalens retreat. Absences cost companies a lot of money, so six-hour shifts are a saving for companies.

According to the study “Information on Accidents and Diseases at Work National of the Mexican Institute of Social Security that was carried out between 2003-2012, labor stress is the most common reason for unjustified absenteeism . As I said before, it is reduced with the six-hour shifts.

5. Reduces absenteeism

There is much talk about absenteeism, but an opposite phenomenon that causes the same damage to the company is absenteeism. Absenteeism refers to being at the workplace but not working, that is, letting hours go by. Something that not only affects the results of the company, but the well-being of the worker also suffers .

In cases where there is a work absence, the workers are at their workplace; however, they perform other tasks: connecting to social networks, consulting websites, making calls, etc. Scientific studies suggest that six-hour shifts significantly reduce absenteeism.

If you want to know more about this phenomenon, you can read more in this article: “Workplace absenteeism: causes and consequences of this phenomenon”

6. Greater reconciliation of work and family

By working fewer hours, people have more time to spend with family and for leisure . In addition, a 6-hour schedule usually refers to an intensive shift, so the person maximizes his or her work in that time. Being able to reconcile work and family life makes people happier.

7. Lower unemployment

Reducing a worker’s working hours means that there is more time to hire another worker and increase the workforce, so other workers can benefit from this. Juan Armando Corbin, psychologist of the organizations, states that “the 6-hour shifts allow for a more uniform redistribution of paid working time throughout the population.

8. More time for training and education

There is a lot of competition in the working environment today, so continuous training is beneficial for the worker as it allows him to keep up to date. Having well-trained workers is also important for the company, which benefits from their knowledge. Working fewer hours allows workers to have fewer hours to train.

9. Happiest clients

The six-hour working day is not only beneficial for the worker and the company, but studies suggest that customers are also more satisfied with this decision. This is what they found in the Toyota service centres that, after surveying their customers, were able to prove that they were more satisfied when employees worked only six hours a day.

10. Less contamination

Scientific studies suggest that countries in which workers work fewer hours have a lower environmental impact. This is what research in the UK showed. What is not clear is whether the environmental impact is due to the reduction of hours per se or to greater social awareness, which would affect both the environment and the well-being of the population .