Six-hour workday as an employer branding strategy : A multiple case study

Sammanfattning: Background - In pace with increased work-related stress and the difficulty in attracting and retaining skilled staff, companies find new ways to rationalize the organization. Working-time reduction is one of these strategies in connection to an effective employer branding attribute. Purpose - The aim is to examine the rationale behind the six-hour workday and how it is used as an employer branding strategy. Additionally, the aim is to examine the advantages and disadvantages of the six-hour workday as an employer branding strategy as well as the future prospects. Method - This study has applied a qualitative method with an inductive approach and a multiple case study. Six semi-structured interviews were performed with five case companies and an additional interview was conducted with a consultancy firm. Conclusion - Organizations choose the six-hour workday because of work-life balance and well-being for employees. Also, the findings show that employers adopt the six-hour for the purpose of attracting and retaining staff. Advantages include happier staff, increased productivity and efficiency. A major disadvantage is the lost hours because of working-time reduction. The empirical findings indicate that the six-hour workday is suited in every organization, however, adjustments might be necessary.