Finland’s newly sworn-in Prime Minister, Sanna Marin, has proposed a flexible working hours schedule in the country. Her revised working schedule proposes a six-hour working day four-day a week.
Her proposal aims to allow people to spend more time with their families. She noted that the trial of reduced working hours in neighboring Sweden recorded a rise in the productivity of the employees. The survey even showed that employees were more relaxed and happy with reduced working hours.
She asserted that a shorter working week is to help people focus on other aspects of life like their hobbies and culture. Currently, employees in Finland follow the eight-hour working day schedule and five days a week.
According to some analyses, reducing working hours is good for the natural environment. A shorter working week could also lead to a significant cut in carbon footprint as employees produce less carbon emissions getting to work… Interesting 😃https://t.co/VWuTY96SEk
— Theresa Tekenah 🇳🇬 (@TheresaTekenah) January 7, 2020
She said: ‘I believe people deserve to spend more time with their families, loved ones, hobbies and other aspects of life, such as culture. Adding that, ‘This could be the next step for us in working life.’ Marin added that her proposal is part of the pledges she made to her voters to make their lives easy.
Meanwhile, Microsoft Japan has already introduced a three-day weekend model that has resulted in a 39.9% surge in productivity.
While people in Finland will rejoice the new working arrangements, Sanna Marin’s announcement attracted colossal reactions from people from across the world on Twitter.
Read more: Only 8-hour work week good for mental health: Cambridge research
Where social media users raved for the second-youngest head of state, Sanna Marin, they hilariously expressed their wish to immigrate to Finland. It is noteworthy to mention that, Finland was also rated the happiest country in the world.
Her idea of a shorter working week encouraged debates on social media regarding the credibility of the argument of higher productivity used to back the idea.
International surveys and researched were reposted on Twitter claiming that shorter working week is inversely proportional to productivity and rapport of employees.
Finland's new Prime Minister Sanna Marin, 34, plans to introduce four-day working week and six-hour days https://t.co/7tNHljrL5k
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) January 5, 2020
UK’s leading newspaper, Guardian, quoted various researches that contended that reduced working hours are beneficial for the health of employees as well as for the atmosphere.
Reduced working hours mean, there would be a significant cut in carbon footprints as employees produce less carbon emission getting to work, use fewer resources at work and have more time to cook and shop instead of relying on takeaway and processed food.
Read more: Qatar introduces special working hours for open workplaces
The arguments against the provision of reduced working hours call it difficult to implement. It has been argued that a shorter working week causes staffing problems in the company and difficulties in assisting customers.
Pakistan also follows a standard working work but employees in Pakistan demand a shorter working week to sustain good health and productivity.