Sweden introduces a six-hour working day with full pay

[Credo]

Sweden is a lovely country with lovely people, but they also have one of the highest suicide rates in Europe. It would seem that they might want to tackle that problem before cutting down on the working hours.

I hope the 6 hour day is successful and catches on other places....like maybe Thailand!

Sweden does not have a particularly high suicide rate. They are only 15 in the OECD and 47 in the world - it's about the same as the USA's. Switzerland, Finland and FRANCE have higher rates to name a few.

This busllshit is always trotted out when people talk about the many successes of it's social democratic post war policies - especially from Americans.

Well first of all, my nationality isn't what this about. Second, the suicide rate is 11.1 per 100,000 and the US is 10.1 per 100,000. Not particularly low, is it?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/suiciderate.html

[ggt]

Dang...the folks in Sweden...sure know how to take care of their work force...how many hours a day does the average Thai work?

[JesseFrank]

Soon there gonna be ZERO hour work weeks.....................Hey wait, how they gonna produce something

[Maroon Watcher]

When I was young I noticed that

Generally People have to be at work and ready by 8:45

Usually lunch is time to grab a sandwich or a quick meal in the office canteen.

Then finish at 5:30?

Most of the time the lunch 1/2 hour goes as does the 5:30.

If you are in a mundane lower paid job - working hard for 5 or 6 hours has got to be better.

Work is not a prison

Some sad people "Live to Work"

Most honest people - work to live!

Finally we are looking at designing cities around People -

now we can design jobs around people too

What happened to the 8 hour day?

[JesseFrank]

When I was young I noticed that

Generally People have to be at work and ready by 8:45

Usually lunch is time to grab a sandwich or a quick meal in the office canteen.

Then finish at 5:30?

Most of the time the lunch 1/2 hour goes as does the 5:30.

If you are in a mundane lower paid job - working hard for 5 or 6 hours has got to be better.

Work is not a prison

Some sad people "Live to Work"

Most honest people - work to live!

Finally we are looking at designing cities around People -

now we can design jobs around people too

What happened to the 8 hour day?

I completely agree with you about the work to live instead of live to work philosophy.

But don't forget an important fact that is a result of this convenience.

Lets take one example, but it accounts for every industry.

In a car factory they work now less hours for the same salary, which means for the same salary paid less cars are produced. Someone will have to pay for this production loss, and that can only be compensated by raising the price of the final product.

But wait, that means that you gonna have to pay more for that same car, but also for all other products you buy because the example applies to every industry, so in return you will need a higher salary to be able to buy all those products that just have risen in price for that reason.

In fact you also need more salary, because since you have more free time, you have more time to spend money on other things.

So fine, your salary gets raised but hey, the salary from the worker at the car factory gets raised at the same time, which means that car gets even more expensive to produce, so you need another pay-rise, which means the car...................................................................

Edited April 10, 2014 by JesseFrank

[landslide]

As Elvin Bishop said, "Go to work at 12, get off at 1, and hour off for lunch and my day's works done."

[DonThaiToMe]

And then wonder why there is inflation .

Actually there is deflation in Sweden right now, not going in to a economic discussion on it as I´m not so familiar as to what different effects inflation vs deflation has on economies. Just stating a fresh release of a study showing that Sweden has deflation right now.

http://www.svt.se/svttext/webL/pages/106.html

Edited April 10, 2014 by DonThaiToMe

[Baerboxer]

Wow!....

Sweden have always been forwards thinking, I reckon this will go down a treat with the voters.

In the 1980's I visited the ABB "city' in Sweden. They were impressive in developing, building and using robots. They stated this was born out of necessity due to the massive absenteeism and alcohol related issues prevalent in the workforce.

Forward thinking ............ not according to many Swedes I know.

There is no such thing as a free lunch,

[Neurath]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

When I was young I noticed that

Generally People have to be at work and ready by 8:45

Usually lunch is time to grab a sandwich or a quick meal in the office canteen.

Then finish at 5:30?

Most of the time the lunch 1/2 hour goes as does the 5:30.

If you are in a mundane lower paid job - working hard for 5 or 6 hours has got to be better.

Work is not a prison

Some sad people "Live to Work"

Most honest people - work to live!

Finally we are looking at designing cities around People -

now we can design jobs around people too

What happened to the 8 hour day?

I completely agree with you about the work to live instead of live to work philosophy.

But don't forget an important fact that is a result of this convenience.

Lets take one example, but it accounts for every industry.

In a car factory they work now less hours for the same salary, which means for the same salary paid less cars are produced. Someone will have to pay for this production loss, and that can only be compensated by raising the price of the final product.

But wait, that means that you gonna have to pay more for that same car, but also for all other products you buy because the example applies to every industry, so in return you will need a higher salary to be able to buy all those products that just have risen in price for that reason.

In fact you also need more salary, because since you have more free time, you have more time to spend money on other things.

So fine, your salary gets raised but hey, the salary from the worker at the car factory gets raised at the same time, which means that car gets even more expensive to produce, so you need another pay-rise, which means the car...................................................................

One measure of productivity is number of hours worked against output - in this case say, the number of cars.

The number of hours put into producing a car has dropped dramatically due to automomation of production process. This represents a real gain in productivity of labor.

Provided productivity rises wages can rise and prices can drop at the same time. But that's unlikely. The question is where the increase in wealth due to increased productivity goes. It can go exclusively to Capital, it can be shared by Capital and Labour or it can goe exclusively to Labour.

In the late 20th century and early part of this one, the increase in wealth in many countries has gone almost exclusively to Capital. This is shown in the data indicating a decline in real income for Labour over the period.

[maxme]

Wow!....

Sweden have always been forwards thinking, I reckon this will go down a treat with the voters.

In the 1980's I visited the ABB "city' in Sweden. They were impressive in developing, building and using robots. They stated this was born out of necessity due to the massive absenteeism and alcohol related issues prevalent in the workforce.

Forward thinking ............ not according to many Swedes I know.

There is no such thing as a free lunch,

One workplace describes the entite population of Sweden. Wow, you went all the way on that one but then again you usually do.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Edited April 13, 2014 by maxme

[VocalNeal]

One measure of productivity is number of hours worked against output - in this case say, the number of cars.

We are onto something here

Productivity has nothing to do with number of hours worked. It has to do with effort introduced.

Starting work at 8 and working through to 3 wouldn't hurt anyone?

I believe the French are amongst the most productive and they work a 35 hour week. But they work to live etc.....

Edited April 13, 2014 by VocalNeal

[Fookhaht]

This busllshit is always trotted out when people talk about the many successes of it's social democratic post war policies - especially from Americans.

Wow. We almost made it to post number 30 without the obligatory America-bashing –- on a thread that has nothing to do with the USA.

The fixation that some posters have in this vein almost borders on the insanity born of jealousy.

[Thai at Heart]

Starting to sound like the Greeks. And look what happened to their economy.

The Greek government closed at 2.30 every day for a nap. Most didn't wake up again.

[impulse]

As Elvin Bishop said, "Go to work at 12, get off at 1, and hour off for lunch and my day's works done."

Unless it's a different Elvin Bishop from bygone days, that came from The Wizard of Oz.

Back to the topic....

Many years ago, I read a well researched study that claimed 6 hours a day was the optimum productive day over a long period of time.

Working people over 6 hours day in and day out was actually counterproductive. It was okay for spurts, but 6 hours was best for long stretches.

Interesting they're comparing the 6 hour folks with 7 hour folks.

[MJP]

From what my Swedish friends have told me about their massive welfare state, oddly open borders and anti-business deluge of regulation, I think Sweden is at risk of going bankrupt . . . again.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Chicog]

It's not Sweden, it's just Gothenburg, and it's just for a test group.

[Scott]

Oh, how I wish I would get selected for a nice test like that.

[crazyguyinthailand]

Sweden is a lovely country with lovely people, but they also have one of the highest suicide rates in Europe. It would seem that they might want to tackle that problem before cutting down on the working hours.

I hope the 6 hour day is successful and catches on other places....like maybe Thailand!

Sweden does not have a particularly high suicide rate. They are only 15 in the OECD and 47 in the world - it's about the same as the USA's. Switzerland, Finland and FRANCE have higher rates to name a few.

This busllshit is always trotted out when people talk about the many successes of it's social democratic post war policies - especially from Americans.

I agree. no country is perfect. but back in Sweden I walked any street and any time in the Country. "thats freedom for me"I would like to see an American do the some in the land of FREEDOM

[Credo]

Gee, that's funny. I lived in the US for quite a few years and could walk any street in the the area where I lived. I also didn't have a lock on the door to the house and never had a burglary. I felt pretty free. But I am not sure what that has to do with the 6 hour work week being tried.

[Amaximus]

Soon there gonna be ZERO hour work weeks.....................Hey wait, how they gonna produce something

Sweden's productivity is pretty good. Norway with as many social benefits, maybe more, is the most productive of all. So socialism makes you work efficient I guess.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_hour_worked

[Scott]

Off-topic posts deleted.

[culicine]

As long as they 'work smarter and not harder'. Reminds me of the Korean students at my university back in Australia. First to uni and last to leave in the evening. Yet they did very little when they were there and ended up taking many more years to finish their post grad studies.

Anyway, for some workers, the official hours make no difference. My wife works from 5am to 10pm most days - not because she wants to, but because she has to....and this is government work too. Like the Swedes, I drop my pen at 4.30pm too....others do as well, as we are docked pay for being 1 minute late to work!