Work Less, Gain More

Thanks to Management Issues, I found this article, called "Work less, gain more." It seems that research is confirming a key element in Slow Leadership: that productivity does not depend on working longer hours.

Offering key employees the opportunity to work fewer hours at reduced pay and benefits might seem like heresy – particularly in U.S. corporations. But a new study has revealed that some household name employers have woken up to the very real benefits that such flexibility can bring.

According to Dr. Ellen Ernst Kossek of Michigan State University's School of Labor and Industrial Relations, flexible work schedules that offer reduced workloads could be a key way of attracting, retaining and motivating top-performing employees.

In a study that included such big names as IBM, Starbucks, Deloitte & Touche, and General Mills, Dr. Kossek and Mary Dean Lee of McGill University in Montreal showed that reduced-load work arrangements can produce benefits for employers, including greater productivity, less turnover and cost savings. Employees working fewer hours were less stressed, able to manage family commitments and felt they performed their job better. They also exhibited a greater loyalty to the organization.

This is what we have been saying here since this site began, so it is very gratifying to find independently-produced support from researchers at a highly reputable university.

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