Will the 5-hour work day catch on in America?
ran a profile of a small 16-person, German-based company, Digital Enabler, that develops websites, apps and e-commerce platforms. What makes this company special is that the CEO, Lasse Rheingans, decided to shake up the traditional working hours and instituted a five-hour work day. His theory is that if an employee focuses on his or her job without distractions, they could finish their tasks within the five-hour period of time.
The five-hour day experiment is not without its challenges. Employees say that there is pressure to get the same amount of work done in a lesser amount of time. It is also an adjustment for them not being able to contact family or friends throughout the day. Aarstol now says the experiment was a success at first, but then the employees enjoyed their time off a little too much. He later dialed back the program and changed the five hours to only the summer months, as the company lost its startup culture.
There are concerns that customers may balk at this setup. Who wants to hear from their web designer at 12:45 p.m. that they’re heading home and will follow up the next day? There would be a feeling of discomfort that your vendor is not being attentive to your needs. If a company is paying for an app or internet work, they want the person to get the job done and will be annoyed if it takes longer than promised because of a half-day schedule. It just won't feel right to some clients.
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