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A 6 hour working day - effects on health and well-being

Åkerstedt, Torbjörn ; Olsson, Birgitta LU ; Ingre, Michael ; Holmgren, Mikael and Kecklund, Göran (2001) In Journal of Human Ergology 30(1-2). p.197-202
Abstract
The effect of the total amount of work hours and the benefits of a shortening is frequently debated, but very little data is available. The present study compared a group (N = 41) that obtained a 9 h reduction of the working week (to a 6 h day) with a comparison group (N = 22) that retained normal work hours. Both groups were constituted of mainly female health care and day care nursery personnel. The experimental group retained full pay and extra personnel were employed to compensate for loss of hours. Questionnaire data were obtained before and 1 year after the change. The data were analyzed using a two-factor ANOVA with the interaction term year*group as the main focus. The results showed a significant interaction of year*group for... (More)
The effect of the total amount of work hours and the benefits of a shortening is frequently debated, but very little data is available. The present study compared a group (N = 41) that obtained a 9 h reduction of the working week (to a 6 h day) with a comparison group (N = 22) that retained normal work hours. Both groups were constituted of mainly female health care and day care nursery personnel. The experimental group retained full pay and extra personnel were employed to compensate for loss of hours. Questionnaire data were obtained before and 1 year after the change. The data were analyzed using a two-factor ANOVA with the interaction term year*group as the main focus. The results showed a significant interaction of year*group for social factors, sleep quality, mental fatigue, and heart/respiratory complaints, and attitude to work hours. In all cases the experimental group improved whereas the control group did not change. It was concluded that shortened work hours have clear social effects and moderate effects on well-being. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
shorter working hours working hours work time reduction wellbeing Adult Attitude to Health* Female Health Personnel/psychology* Health Surveys Humans Male Organizational Innovation* Personnel Staffing and Scheduling/organization & administration* Quality of Life/psychology* Sweden Work Schedule Tolerance/psychology* Workload/psychology*
in
Journal of Human Ergology
volume
30
issue
1-2
pages
197 - 202
publisher
Tokyo, Uni. of Tokyo Press.
external identifiers
  • pmid:14564882
  • scopus:0642313131
ISSN
0300-8134
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
06c308de-dcd1-462e-a6c1-c94795baa5d1 (old id 2339569)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:49:11
date last changed
2022-03-07 08:36:24
@article{06c308de-dcd1-462e-a6c1-c94795baa5d1,
  abstract     = {{The effect of the total amount of work hours and the benefits of a shortening is frequently debated, but very little data is available. The present study compared a group (N = 41) that obtained a 9 h reduction of the working week (to a 6 h day) with a comparison group (N = 22) that retained normal work hours. Both groups were constituted of mainly female health care and day care nursery personnel. The experimental group retained full pay and extra personnel were employed to compensate for loss of hours. Questionnaire data were obtained before and 1 year after the change. The data were analyzed using a two-factor ANOVA with the interaction term year*group as the main focus. The results showed a significant interaction of year*group for social factors, sleep quality, mental fatigue, and heart/respiratory complaints, and attitude to work hours. In all cases the experimental group improved whereas the control group did not change. It was concluded that shortened work hours have clear social effects and moderate effects on well-being.}},
  author       = {{Åkerstedt, Torbjörn and Olsson, Birgitta and Ingre, Michael and Holmgren, Mikael and Kecklund, Göran}},
  issn         = {{0300-8134}},
  keywords     = {{shorter working hours
working hours
work time reduction
wellbeing
Adult
Attitude to Health*
Female
Health Personnel/psychology*
Health Surveys
Humans
Male
Organizational Innovation*
Personnel Staffing and Scheduling/organization & administration*
Quality of Life/psychology*
Sweden
Work Schedule Tolerance/psychology*
Workload/psychology*}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1-2}},
  pages        = {{197--202}},
  publisher    = {{Tokyo, Uni. of Tokyo Press.}},
  series       = {{Journal of Human Ergology}},
  title        = {{A 6 hour working day - effects on health and well-being}},
  volume       = {{30}},
  year         = {{2001}},
}