A 2019 study published in Social Science and Medicine titled ‘A shorter working week for everyone: How much paid work is needed for mental health and well-being’ has revealed that humans only need eight hours a week to get the psychological benefits of working. This is a scope for the working week to be radically reduced, especially given a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has forced employers to reassess working environments.
The study also argues that artificial intelligence could result in significant shortages of paid work but an alternative option could be to reduce the working week. The study used data extracted from 80,000 people. Sociologist and author Daiga Kamerade stated that work is like ‘taking Vitamin C – we all need a certain dose, but taking it more than necessary does not bring any additional health benefits.’
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