Finnish mobile developer Fingersoft is aiming to improve work/life balance at the company by trialling a reduced working hours scheme (via PocketGamer).
Under the scheme, employees will have the option to work 80% of their usual hours – either four days a week, or six hours a day – for 90% of their usual salary. Additionally, flexible hours and remote working will remain available at the company.
The results will be made public after 6 months, and Fingersoft has stated that if the trial is a success, the changes will be made permanent.
According to Fingersoft CEO Jaakko Kylmäoja, the trial has been well-received by employees, with many having already signed up to the scheme.
“We at Fingersoft understand that we are all different, going through different phases in life,” said Kylmäoja. “For some, working eight hours every day is a good fit, but for some of us, balancing work and personal life is better achieved with reduced working hours. However, for many of us the decrease in salary that comes with it has felt like a dealbreaker.
“We strongly believe that, particularly for people working in a creative industry, having more time for recovery will increase the relative value of their input and prevent burnout. This is why we want to offer anyone wanting to work 80% hours during this six-month experiment 90% of their full salary. Based on the results of this trial we will decide if this model becomes a permanent practice for us.”
