Do 6 Hour Working Days Improve Performance?

The results of a Swedish study of the impact of shortening the working day on productivity is about to be published and I'm sure it's going to make for interesting reading.

The pilot scheme, run in care homes in Gothenburg, saw the nurses working shorter hours, logging less sick leave, reporting better perceived health and boosting their productivity by organising 85% more activities for their patients, from nature walks to sing-a-longs. The only real problem? Cost.

However, there have been, and are, other pilots being conducted, and the results are distinctly mixed. For some companies, the six-hour day feels wrong; even, the pioneer of the scheme has his doubts, but argues that we should be looking for ways to make work less stressful and to improve working conditions.