Working smarter, not longer, will raise productivity

For many of us in employment, it sometimes feel as if we are a rat on the treadmill: always running but going nowhere. We feel we work ourselves to the bone.

Now, global figures prove that is more than traditional South African moaning: we, as a nation, have the fifth longest working week – an average of 42.9 hours per worker – in the world. This is at the other end of the scale from the Netherlands, where people work an average of just 29 hours weekly.

As cutbacks in staff hit all sectors of SA’s economy, working hours are probably going to get longer, rather than shorter, as people have to pick up extra work from those who have been let go. And complaints are likely to be muted: in a country with an official jobless rate of just under 30%, having a job is a privilege.

Many countries are experimenting with shorter working weeks and found that, apart from improving the quality of life of workers, they also improve productivity.

Sadly, productivity is still our downfall. South Africa ranks near the bottom of major countries surveyed when it comes to productivity.

Clearly, we need to work smarter rather than longer.

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