Representatives of management are proposing shortening the working day – although they have their own particular take on what a shortened working day would look like.
RÚV reports that Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, the director of the Federation of Icelandic Industries, says she is ready to explore the concept of a shorter work day. In an interview with radio station Rás 2, Guðrún specifically cited Gothenburg, Sweden’s recentinitiative for a six-hour workday.
While the Swedish experiment is still in the trial stages – this most current attempt to last one year, and only to apply to some workers – it is hoped that workers will in general be happier, more productive, and take fewer sick days as a result.
Guðrún has an emphasis of her own, telling reporters, “We have, for example, a lot of break hours, a lot of pauses in the working day. If people are ready to shorten those things, and shorten their working day, but produce the same amount of returns, then I don’t think employers will be against it.” She also says her organisation believes it is probably more realistic to shorten the workday to seven hours rather than six.
A formal proposal from the Federation of Icelandic Industries on the matter is expected soon.
Buy subscriptions, t-shirts and more from our shop right here!
