Sweden's six-hour day deemed “too expensive”

Despite fewer sick days and improved productivity, a two-year experiment for Sweden’s six-hour working day, trialled in Gothenburg, has failed – Bloomberg reports.

68 nurses in the employ of a care home all received a reduction in their working hours, from eight hours a-day to six, but not in pay. As a result, 17 extra employees were needed at a cost of over £1million. Participants said they felt healthier – sickness absence decreased – and patient care improved. However, the scheme won’t be made permanent.

These results differ from previous tests, this time located in Sjöjungfrun, in Umeå, over the course of one year and in a retirement home, where sick days rose from eight per cent to 9.3%.  Business Insider Nordic hypothesised that HR cannot apply the one blanket rule to all workplaces – and instead more research needed to be done on the topic.

Daniel Bernmar, a local Gothenburg politician, said: “It’s associated with higher costs, absolutely. It’s far too expensive to carry out a general shortening of working hours within a reasonable [period].”