21 June 2006

Work less do more

I record this because it's fascinating and pertinent to life today in so many ways.
They thought about it and decided they’d rather hold the team together. So we went down to a thirty-two-hour-a-week schedule for everyone furing a down time. We took everybody’s hours and salary down - executives too.
... two surprises.
First, productivity did not decline. I swear to God we get as much out of them at thirty-two hours as we did at forty. So it’s not a bad business decision. But second, when economic conditions improved, we offered them one hundred percent time again. No one wanted to go back!

I can't help saying that I could really relate to that. I've been partially employed for two years now and I love that fact that I have time to do things I like. We may not be rich in money terms but we do get by. When it comes to the prospect of more normal employment, I am most dreading the long stints at one kind of work, the loss of variety and the loss of control over my own time. I can't help suspecting that those may be the kinds of issues for the people in that study.
Via Worldchanging.
Positive Sharing � The cult of overwork (again):
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