Source | www-forbes-com.cdn.ampproject.org | Jack Kelly
As remote work became a roaring success for both companies and employees during the pandemic, it opened our eyes to new possibilities of how we can lead a better work-life balance. We now know that it’s not necessary to be stuck in an office building for over eight hours a day, five days a week.
There are growing conversations about four-day workweeks and hybrid models, in which you’d be in the office two or three days a week and at home for the rest of the time. Staggered flexible hours and abbreviated workdays are also being tried out.
A recent study of 2,500 workers in Iceland—more than 1% of the workforce—was conducted to see if shortened workdays lead to more productivity and a happier workforce. The trials were made across an array of different types of workplaces.
Iceland, similar to other Nordic countries, such as Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, offers generous social services for its citizens. The country has a strong healthcare system, income equality and paid parental leave for mothers and fathers. Iceland differs from its neighbors, as the country has longer working hours.
