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diff --git a/memos/WM-005.txt b/memos/WM-005.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fc7518f --- /dev/null +++ b/memos/WM-005.txt @@ -0,0 +1,114 @@ + + + + + + + +Document: WM-005 P. Webb +Category: Life 2017.01.25 + + The appeal of the Swiss and Swedish work life + +Abstract + + Living to work versus working to live. + +Body + + I recently read an article[1] about Sweden's six-hour work day and + was fascinated by it because here in the States, it's more about the + *quantity* of hours you put in, it's not about the *quality* of the + work you put in (FWIW, that seems to be changing in start-up land). + Henry Ford famously tested the eight-hour work day with his factory + employees, but it's 2017 now. Do we *really* need to continue + the trend? + + To quote[2] Magnus Bråth of Brath, a tech company in Sweden + (emphasis mine): + + > We also believe that once you've gotten used to having time for + > the family, picking up the kids at day care, spending time training + > for a race or simply just cooking good food at home, you don't want + > to lose that again. We believe that this is a good reason to stay + > with us and not only because of the actual impact longer hours + > would make in your life but for the reason behind our shorter days. + > That we have shorter days is not the main reason people stay with + > us, they are the symptom of the reason. The reason is that we + > actually care about our employees, *we care enough to prioritize + > their time with the family, cooking or doing something else they + > love doing*. + > + > A third huge reason for shorter days is that we all feel more + > rested. Obviously we too have to stay late at times, obviously we + > too are stressed at times but it's from a better base line. Working + > late at our two offices often mean staying for 8 hours, or 7. + > *Think about it, when mom comes home late, she comes home at 5.* + + In the linked article at the top of this post, the six-hour work day + experiment ended because it was too expensive for the nursing home it + was tested in. Nurses were more alert and as a result, *care and + happiness amongst those being cared for increased* drastically. + *However*, more nurses were hired to provide overlap for shifts. As + countries become more wealthy, I think the benefits will outweigh + the costs. + + I look forward to implementing a similar system when I am able to + hire people for Ideas Never Cease[3]. Better maternity / paternity / + grief leave as well! A previous employer didn't seem to give a damn + while I was grieving over my miscarried daughter Zoe Elise and that + added to the hurt, immensely. I don't *ever* want to make someone + else feel the way I felt, it sucked. My grief was getting in the way + of your *false deadline* on a project for your *still breathing* + family member? Whoops, *my bad*. 🙄 But I digress. + + Chantal Panozzo wrote a great article for Vox[4] detailing her life + in Switzerland and the amazing adjustment from American work life. + Here are a few choice quotes: + + > In Switzerland, you don't arrive to a meeting late, but you also + > don't leave for your lunch break a second past noon. If it's + > summer, jumping into the lake to swim with the swans is an + > acceptable way to spend your lunch hour. If you eat a sandwich at + > your desk, people will scold you. + > + > Lunchtime is sacred time in Switzerland. When I was on maternity + > leave, my husband came home for lunch to help me care for our + > daughter. This strengthened our marriage. Many families still + > reunite during weekdays over the lunch hour. + > + > Swiss law mandates a 14-week maternity leave at a minimum of 80 + > percent pay. + > + > People in Europe took vacation seriously. Once, when I only took + > 10 days for a trip to Spain, my colleagues chastised me for taking + > so little time off. I learned to take vacation chunks in two-week + > intervals. Well rested, I noticed that I felt more productive and + > creative when I returned to work. Recent American research[5] + > confirms what I was feeling: Relaxing can make you + > more productive[6]. + + I could continue, but you get the gist. + + With self-imposed deadlines, I find that I am more creative in my + problem-solving and often find better solutions than if I was working + on problems without a time-sensitive goal attached. I believe the + same thing would be applied to a shorter work day. A six-hour work + day would also discourage long meetings without focus (well, long + meetings *period*). I don't see big American companies making these + quote drastic changes but startups? Hell yeah, definitely. Instead of + focusing on "perks" like beer on tap, foosball tables, and game + systems, &c, why not focus on improving the lives of your employees + so they can make dope shit? + + Happy employees will reward you with their absolute best work. + Simple. 🕸 + +References + + [1] <https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/sweden-six-hour-working-day-too-expensive-scrapped-experiment-cothenburg-pilot-scheme-a7508581.html> + [2] <https://brath.com/why-we-started-with-6-hour-work-days> + [3] <https://the-inc.co> + [4] <https://www.vox.com/2015/7/21/8974435/switzerland-work-life-balance> + [5] <https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/opinion/sunday/relax-youll-be-more-productive.html?pagewanted=all&\_r=1&&gwh=AC034D10F64239B961A6E1CDE12C9332&gwt=pay&assetType=opinion> + [6] <https://www.vox.com/2014/7/22/5912369/creativity-vacation-work-office> |