A report by NSSO states that Indians have some of the longest working hours in the world.
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To be precise, employees in Indian cities reportedly work for approximately 53 to 54 hours in a week which is much more than the International Labour Organisation’s prescribed limit of 48 working hours a week.
And as it would turn out, working for long hours isn’t the most productive thing to do and there are studies to back this up.
According to a report published in the Business Standard, there is an optimal working time beyond which an employee’s productivity begins to decline. But, that’s not all; if they continue working even after the optimal number of hours, they might also see a deterioration in their health.
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Some experts also suggest that the working hours should not be more than 35 hours per week.
Yet another study reveals that Indians apparently agreed to being happy working for 5 days a week even if they had the option to work for fewer days for the same pay.
Studies further reveal that the 24/7 work culture is taking a toll on the productivity of employees, overall. People working in such environments may actually show lower levels of engagement in their work, thus reducing their productivity.
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Just last month, a law firm in UK switched to 4-day a week and claimed that it’s staff was happier and more productive than ever.
Even research has proved that people are more productive when they are able to strike a work-life balance.