Introduction
The reduction of working hours presents an opportunity to positively impact employees’ well-being, boost productivity, and enhance organizational culture. However, for this to be executed effectively, conscious leadership is essential.
“It’s not about lamenting legislative changes but anticipating them with organizational intelligence. High-quality leadership can transform this situation into a strategic opportunity,” says Juan Pablo Ventosa, co-founder of Human Performance.
The Role of Conscious Leadership
In the coming days, discussions will commence to gradually implement a 40-hour workweek by 2030. While businesses, unions, academics, and international organizations will have their say in these discussions, it’s crucial for leaders to prepare to manage talent.
Leadership should be built on the same foundations: empathetic, responsible, sincere, and focused on talent well-being.
Leaders must understand that more working hours are not synonymous with productivity. In fact, long work hours can harm health. According to the International Labour Organization and the World Health Organization, working 55 hours a week increases the risk of stroke by 35%.
Five Management Strategies
Juan Pablo Ventosa emphasizes that to achieve genuine change, focus should not only be on reducing working hours but also on leadership. He shares five strategies that executives should implement:
- 1. Clear and Measurable Objectives: Set goals based on results rather than hours worked.
- 2. Balanced Culture: Foster an organizational culture that prioritizes personal and professional balance, encouraging trust, teamwork, and collaboration.
- 3. Well-being and High Performance: Implement physical, mental, and emotional well-being policies that recharge team motivation, increase commitment, and ensure results.
- 4. Autonomous Leadership Development: Encourage talent skills development and provide autonomy by eliminating bureaucracy, enabling faster processes.
- 5. Continuous Feedback: Provide feedback and acknowledge good work.
Key Questions and Answers
- Q: Why is conscious leadership important in implementing reduced working hours? A: Conscious leadership is crucial for ensuring that reduced working hours positively impact employees’ well-being, productivity, and organizational culture.
- Q: What are the foundations of conscious leadership? A: Conscious leaders are empathetic, responsible, sincere, and focused on talent well-being.
- Q: Why are more working hours not always productive? A: Long work hours can harm health, increasing the risk of stroke according to the International Labour Organization and World Health Organization.
- Q: What strategies should executives implement for successful reduced working hours implementation? A: Executives should focus on clear and measurable objectives, foster a balanced culture, prioritize well-being and high performance, develop autonomous leadership, and provide continuous feedback.
