Working eight hours a day may seem like the norm, but that doesn't mean it's the most effective and efficient system in place. People working in the private sector have long been questioning their working hours.
In some countries including France, Portugal and Sweden, several companies have applied six-hour workdays and believe it can ultimately increase employee productivity. This week, the topic was brought to the forefront in Saudi Arabia by Shura Council member and economic writer Fahad bin Jumaa.
In an interview with Sabq news site, the council member called on authorities to introduce six-hour workdays in the kingdom. He explained that most developed countries are no longer relating productivity to the number of hours being worked. Instead, the focus has been on how much work can be accomplished in one hour.
The kingdom's Shura Council previously endorsed bills aimed at applying the six-hour workday in the country. However, their legislations failed to materialize.
The writer said it's time for Saudi Arabia to implement a strict decrease in workday hours for private-sector employees to help increase their productivity.
"It's time for the kingdom's labor market to be restructured to motivate both Saudi men and women to join in. To help make that happen, article 98 of the labor law must be adjusted to reduce weekly work hours from 48 to 40," he explained.
"Working for 40 hours a week improves quality of life and reduces stress for both workers and their families. It'll also have a positive impact on our economy, because it'll allow more take up different shifts," he added.
Jumaa urged the kingdom's officials to study successful examples of countries that have applied six-hour workdays, including Portugal, France and Germany. He added that making this change would fit with the goals of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.
Naturally, his statement became a topic of discussion on Saudi Twitter. And it looks like many are nodding in agreement with his point of view.
Some objected to the 6-hour workday
"I say let's pay people to just sit at home, that'd be better."
"The tried this in Europe and it failed"
But, the majority couldn't agree more with the writer's statement
"I swear this would be excellent if it happened. Six hours of work per day are more than enough and will motivate an employee to give everything they've got to make sure their tasks get done on time."
"He's right, I wish we'd focus on productivity instead of just laying around at work"
The six-hour workday theory at a glance
Those in favor of six-hour workdays (for both five-day and six-day work weeks) say that a traditional work week leaves employees drained and burned out.
Eight-hour workdays were first introduced to the world back in 1914, a time when technology and working conditions were extremely different from what they are today.
Logic says that in an era where things can be completed faster, working hours must be condensed. Right?
In 2003, Toyota's plant-based in Gothenburg implemented shorter workdays. They've been applying the model since and have "reported happier employees, decreased turnover rate, and higher profits."
In 2015, the country launched a 23-month experiment on a select group of workers in Gothenburg. The venture cost $1.3 million and made headlines worldwide.
The workers stayed on the same pay but were switched to six-hour workdays to evaluate its potential benefits. The results revealed positive effects on employees as many reported they were happier and healthier. There was also a decrease in sick days and absenteeism among those who took part in the experiment.
This is not to say there aren't any cons to the idea as many argue that six-hour workdays could negatively affect business profits in some cases.
