NEF: shorter working week could boost productivity

Date: 15th February 2010

Small businesses and other enterprise models could benefit from an increase in productivity by giving employees a shorter working week, it has been suggested.

A recent report from the new economics foundation (NEF) has predicted a "major shift" in the traditional length of a working week.

NEF researchers said the introduction of a shorter week, as a result of "economic, social and environmental" issues, could be a "positive opportunity" for all concerned.

According to the NEF, a shorter week would mean employees would be "less stressed, more in control, happier … and more productive".

Anne Coote, co-author of the report and head of social policy at NEF, said: "So many of us live to work, work to earn, and earn to consume. And our consumption habits are squandering the earth’s natural resources.

"Spending less time in paid work could help us to break this pattern. We’d have more time to be better parents, better citizens, better carers and better neighbours."