The most optimal working hours
What would happen if working hours ended a bit early? Can we curtail the working hours by half? Does this make the business a better place to work, and what consequences could they face given this decision?
The professional world is trying to readjust and alter its organizational concepts. Employers and employees are gradually trying to dispense with traditional working practices as they are starting to realize that old models are in desperate need of renovation and a fresh perspective. Companies are thinking about how to adapt to the new world and economy, and how they can make the workplace a comfortable experience for their employees. As a result, companies are trying to create optimal working hours for their workers. Besides that, they are also experimenting with teleworking and napping at work. Frequent breaks between work provide essential relaxation for employees which can also increase their productivity during working hours.
One of the trendiest directions is to shrink the working hours. This practice has been proven to be one of the most effective and innovative approaches to similar subject matters. Working fewer hours allows you to be more productive, and have more time for yourself.
How many hours per week make a full-time job?
As has been previously mentioned, the national minimum for full-time employment is 40 hours per week. According to relevant research, the average worker is devoting her/his weekly time to work for 35 hours. However, many individuals do not fit into that minimum and work much larger volumes. This decision could be explained by desiring to make extra financial resources. Other workers often choose more flexible working hours and are dealing with their work duties in fewer hours. The definition of part-time employment is when a person works for less than 35 hours a week.
What factors contribute to changes in job conditions?
The work environment is constantly changing. It is mostly due to the fact that current ways of handling organizational matters are quite old and in desperate need of an overhaul. Companies are working on a model that will allow workers to have more personal time outside of working hours.
The recent pandemic has shown that, in some shape or form, we have witnessed some type of work revolution. According to several findings, the younger generation feels more anxiety about work-related issues and is more vulnerable. They feel anxiety that they might lose a job and then struggle mightily to find a new one, this constant sense of fear does not leave their minds. This is affecting their mental health, they are also complaining about long working hours and expressing overall dissatisfaction with the current organizational side of work.
What’s more, their requirements and presence in the labor market sparked a new way of thinking about working circumstances. The increased popularity of remote work in recent years has also transformed the way we operate.
Corporations are now trying to prioritize life over working hours. In other words, they are starting to understand how important life is in comparison to work and that work should serve the life goals of an employee, not the other way around.
Why do we work an 8-hour day, five days a week?
Having optimal working hours is crucially important. In the 20th century, work became an 8-hour day activity. We begin work at 9 a.m. and finish somewhere between 5 and 7 p.m. why though? Why 8 hours of work? Is it necessary? It seems like this concept has not been thought through and is just a decision derived from the past. Robert Owen, a British textile maker, proposed the idea that organizations should take care of their employees, the happiness and satisfaction of their workers would also make their companies more successful. Tired and daunted personnel make a lot of mistakes, which contributes to the overall bad environment created by such an approach to the subject matter of working hours. Robert Owen has started a social movement demanding that more emphasis be put on people rather than just work and the hours each and every employee is putting in on a daily basis.
What Is The Ideal Working Time?
Countries with the longest working hours also have the lowest overall productivity. And the countries that operate on the contrary, have more productivity. Scientists currently agree that the most optimal and acceptable working hours is 6 hours per day, with more emphasis on the morning. A good example of that practice would be Sweden, and with that decision, they are having a success story. With this routine, workers are able to better focus on their tasks in the morning and exert better overall productivity. This approach also allows them to better manage time, tiredness, and work-life balance. Psychologists also are in full accordance with other representatives of the scientists that fewer working hours have a positive outcome for mental and physical conditions for an individual. It is also advisable to take frequent, short vacations to relax and be relieved from the daily tasks of your work. Remember, being tired has a negative effect on mood, and a bad mood, on the other hand, hinders your work experience and the overall readiness and productivity of your work.
Happiness Leads to Success
So, what’s the point of all of this? You are overworking, and it is affecting your happiness.
If your work consists of traditional working hours, you should know that despite your best efforts, you are often not in the best condition to be at your best. Everyone is experiencing productivity slumps from time to time, but they are not giving up and trying to produce subpar results. Often, such practices lead people to work evenings and weekends to compensate for the lack of productivity during working hours. Various companies can state statistics about their employees overworking and compensating for their work during weekends or after working hours that day. Happiness should be the priority, as happiness is responsible for creating success, not the other way around as most people think is the case.
Conclusion
Most optimal working hours are not an easy thing to determine. There are multiple variables according to which each case scenario should be thought through. Some people are used to doing tasks quickly. Others are industrious and try to use their time as slowly as possible. Both working methods have their advantages and drawbacks. As a result, the attitudes toward working styles are constantly changing as there is a multiplicity of opinions on these issues. The ultimate goal should be to strike the perfect balance between work and life, as well as between being productive and exhausted out of your mind.