In a conversation, the CEO of Shopify explained that 40 hours of work is sufficient if one manages time wisely.
The necessary amount of working hours is often discussed, even a 4-day week is currently being talked about. Yet many people already feel overworked or even burdened by their jobs.
Notably, a young CEO who demanded an 80-hour work week from his employees became known. But the CEO of Shopify has now stated that no one needs to work that long if they manage their time smartly.
Those who work efficiently only need 40 hours of work time
Who is speaking? Harley Finkelstein is the CEO of Shopify: The company sells the e-commerce software of the same name to small and medium-sized enterprises. Shopify heavily focuses on artificial intelligence and aims, according to the German CEO, to only hire employees who are better than AI.
In the podcast “Aspire with Emma Grede” on YouTube, Finkelstein recently talked about work, working hours, and a work-life balance. He explained that 40 hours per week is completely sufficient if one has learned to be efficient.
No one needs to work 80 hours a week to perform well and be a high performer. I know people who work 40 hours a week and are among the best achievers ever. They simply manage their time incredibly efficiently.
The trick, according to Finkelstein, is to manage your working hours efficiently: Those who work efficiently accomplish more in their working hours than other people who lack this ability and would need more time for their tasks.
Moreover, he added that there is no real work-life balance. People are rather seeking a balance between work and private life. Therefore, he would handle working hours flexibly and not rigidly stick to working from Monday to Friday:
I consider the term work-life balance to be somewhat misleading. I believe what we are all actually seeking is a kind of harmony. There are Saturdays when I have to work, and there are Thursday afternoons when I go for a walk with my wife. That is my version of harmony.
However, there are also managers and CEOs who draw the boundaries even further: For instance, the brand manager of the sports company Salomon stated that he intentionally never separates work and leisure and deliberately combines the two. Because even during a walk in nature, one can discuss work-related matters.
Iceland implemented the 4-day week nationwide in 2019. Six years later, it has been found that it is beneficial for both employers and employees. This supports the demands that Generation Z has long had; for an optimized work-life balance and better working hours: A country in Europe introduced the four-day week six years ago, today we know: Generation Z was always right
