Would productivity drop if we worked fewer hours

thattequilagirl

I know in certain jobs how much you get done relates directly to how long you work. I'm wondering about office jobs though. In offices I've worked in I've consistently seen people take more breaks than they should and take longer lunches, spend time on their phones and take personal calls.

A town in I think it was Norway has reduced their working hours to 6 on a trial basis. I think if I worked hard all day I could fit my 8.5 hour day into 6 if I didn't do any of the above.

What do you think?

Menas

Look at the french. Less hours, more holiday, over paid and less productive. Very little foreign investment there.

Charles Babbage

The government should install a giant firewall that restricts access to boards.ie to retired people from 08:00 to 17:30, that would increase productivity.

Iwasfrozen

thattequilagirl wrote: »

I know in certain jobs how much you get done relates directly to how long you work. I'm wondering about office jobs though. In offices I've worked in I've consistently seen people take more breaks than they should and take longer lunches, spend time on their phones and take personal calls.

A town in I think it was Norway has reduced their working hours to 6 on a trial basis. I think if I worked hard all day I could fit my 8.5 hour day into 6 if I didn't do any of the above.

What do you think?

People would still do all those time wasting things if their hours were dropped too. They'd just do less work.

thattequilagirl

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

People would still do all those time wasting things if their hours were dropped too. They'd just do less work.

I think if they were told the day would go back to 8-8.5 hours if that happened they wouldn't

KomradeBishop

Think about this: Who benefits from your increased productivity? Here's a case of an image speaking a thousand words:
http://cdn.theatlantic.com/assets/media/img/posts/2015/02/labor_gap/04e656c70.png

thattequilagirl

Menas wrote: »

Look at the french. Less hours, more holiday, over paid and less productive. Very little foreign investment there.

Funny you mention the French- the company I work for at the moment is headquartered in France - I often wonder what their working conditions are like by comparison.

While they have less foreign investment, their economy seems pretty healthy.

Earthhorse

I've read various reports that suggest people can only really concentrate for 3 or 4 hours a day. That's when the real work gets done. Personally, I'm all for a reduction in working hours and the working week and a general slowing down of the workplace with an increased focus on long term goals.

But as you say this really does apply to office jobs. Doesn't really work for taxi drivers, chefs, etc.

Iwasfrozen

Earthhorse wrote: »

I've read various reports that suggest people can only really concentrate for 3 or 4 hours a day. That's when the real work gets done. Personally, I'm all for a reduction in working hours and the working week and a general slowing down of the workplace with an increased focus on long term goals.

But as you say this really does apply to office jobs. Doesn't really work for taxi drivers, chefs, etc.

Why would you want to lower the working week? We only work two days out of seven.

mahamageehad

I think we'd see a major leap in productivity for about 2 months, then it would drop to the same level of productivity as before albeit with less hours. I'd rather keep the working week the same, have flextime where possible and add more holiday days!

Earthhorse

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

Why would you want to lower the working week? We only work two days out of seven.

Maybe in Rand McNally where people wear hats on their feet and hamburgers eat people.

Menas

mahamageehad wrote: »

I think we'd see a major leap in productivity for about 2 months, then it would drop to the same level of productivity as before albeit with less hours. I'd rather keep the working week the same, have flextime where possible and add more holiday days!

I reckon you are right. The Hawthorne effect would kick in for the first few weeks and then taper off.

pickarooney

thattequilagirl wrote: »

Funny you mention the French- the company I work for at the moment is headquartered in France - I often wonder what their working conditions are like by comparison.

While they have less foreign investment, their economy seems pretty healthy.

39 hour week, 25 days' holiday, I've not noticed a difference with Ireland to be honest.

diomed

KomradeBishop wrote: »

Think about this: Who benefits from your increased productivity? Here's a case of an image speaking a thousand words:
http://cdn.theatlantic.com/assets/media/img/posts/2015/02/labor_gap/04e656c70.png

Just a wild guess here. Was it increased computerisation that boosted productivity?

Billy86

Menas wrote: »

Look at the french. Less hours, more holiday, over paid and less productive. Very little foreign investment there.

On the other hand, look at the countries who work less hours than them - Denmark, Norway and the Dutch. And with considerably less hours again... Germany.

thattequilagirl

Menas wrote: »

Look at the french. Less hours, more holiday, over paid and less productive. Very little foreign investment there.

pickarooney wrote: »

39 hour week, 25 days' holiday, I've not noticed a difference with Ireland to be honest.

I do 42.5 hours and get 21 days - not a massive difference but I'd still like to have those 4 days.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

There is not enough hours in the day during the working week. I'd hate to work less hours

thattequilagirl

LexieOnRale wrote: »

There is not enough hours in the day during the working week. I'd hate to work less hours

It would definitely limit the amount of time for posting on boards!

cowboyBuilder

I think working a 4,5 hour day would be much more productive then working 8, by the end of the 8 hour day the quality of work suffers, with a shorter day employees would be happier and more energetic when they do work.

Now I work in IT, so most of my colleagues have an interest in what they do, so might not be so good in other areas.

Captain Chaos

I'd rather a 10hr 4 day week and a 3 day weekend. 2 days off a week is not enough free time imo. Especially when I commute 4 hrs each day.

diomed

I'm guessing here
Productivity - how much you produce in a given time (i'e. per hour)
Production - how much you produce in total

5 hour day - 5 hours at 100% = 5.0
8 hour day - 8 hours at 80% = 6.4

I'm increasing your working day to 10 hours.

myshirt

Captain Chaos wrote: »

I'd rather a 10hr 4 day week and a 3 day weekend. 2 days off a week is not enough free time imo. Especially when I commute 4 hrs each day.

Well done. That's hardcore. Personally the magic number for me is 2 hrs a day. 1hr each way. Anything after that pisses me off.

The shorter working week wouldn't play out well where I am. We have a performance recognition programme in place you see where if an employee is identified as doing well in their job they then get to do other people's work also! It's great!

Capt'n Midnight

Captain Chaos wrote: »

I'd rather a 10hr 4 day week and a 3 day weekend. 2 days off a week is not enough free time imo. Especially when I commute 4 hrs each day.

nah stretch it to twelve and a half hours , three day week and only commute when there's no traffic.

Not all the reasons from the 1950's apply any more, except for the need for money.
http://eh.net/book_reviews/kelloggs-six-hour-day/

Ultimately, most men during the 1950s needed little convincing that eight-hours and higher pay were preferable. Six-hour workdays wouldn’t let them keep up with the Joneses and many men did not receive much enjoyment from their marginal leisure hours. “Like management, senior male workers were concerned about the loss of status and control. Several men told about the friction that resulted when the men spent too much time around the house: ‘The wives didn’t like the men underfoot all day.’ ‘The wife always found something for me to do if I hung around.’ ‘We got into a lot of fights.’ Many of the men confessed that they were at loose ends when they were working six hours”

Letree

thattequilagirl wrote: »

Funny you mention the French- the company I work for at the moment is headquartered in France - I often wonder what their working conditions are like by comparison.

While they have less foreign investment, their economy seems pretty healthy.

Its an anglo-american idea that presenteeism is so important. Be at your desk, work up the hours etc. I don't believe that is necessary. 6 hours a day is plenty i think.