A recent study suggests that reducing working hours can lead to better health, increased creativity, and higher productivity among employees. The research found that shorter workweeks are linked to improved work ability, lower stress levels, and positive changes in organizational behavior.
Lena Lid Falkman, one of the researchers involved in the study, highlighted the key findings: "We see strong results regarding health. But equally important are the results on increased work ability and problem‑solving capacity. Not only do employees feel better after a period of shorter working hours, but they also work better. And on top of that, they are happier."
Siri Jakobsson Störe emphasized improvements related to stress and burnout: "I want to highlight the results related to work‑related stress, the feeling of being completely exhausted at the end of the workday, and work‑related burnout. These improvements were not only statistically significant but also had medium to large effect sizes."
The researchers noted some unexpected outcomes as well. Lena Lid Falkman observed that reducing working hours served as both an incentive and a driver for change within organizations: "In a couple of organizations, improvements in processes and work methods that had been attempted for a long time suddenly became possible when employees were given the chance to reduce their working hours." Siri Jakobsson Störe added: "It was fairly expected that participants reported having more time for social relationships outside of work, but something that surprised me was that participants also felt they talked more with colleagues about things not directly work‑related, and that they rated their productivity higher after the trial."
Discussing who could benefit from these findings, Lena Lid Falkman stated: "We haven't researched at the societal level, but at the organizational level... operations in sectors with high levels of ill‑health could benefit from these findings." Siri Jakobsson Störe noted potential limitations due to small sample sizes and voluntary participation: "Our results show positive relationships between reduced working hours, recovery, and work ability... To make more general statements about effects at the societal level, larger, controlled studies are needed."
The readiness of industries for such changes remains under consideration. Lena Lid Falkman advised caution in interpreting results due to limited samples and voluntary participation but stressed methodological rigor: "Our findings are still interesting. They were produced using rigorous methods with previously validated measures of health." She referenced similar international research from Boston College published in Nature Human Behaviour showing comparable positive effects in English-speaking countries.
Looking ahead, both researchers expressed interest in further exploring how organizations can enhance focus on value-creating tasks—potentially through AI or traditional time management strategies—and examining workplace norms around meetings and breaks.
The project is set to continue with an open call for new participating organizations until summer. Those interested in trying reduced working hours can contact the research team if they have more than six employees willing to participate for six months.
