by: David Wiles, freelance journalist

Tired of the same old workday routine? Working nine to five is no longer the standard way to make a living in Sweden. The country has been named in a European Union study as having among the most flexible working hours in Europe, allowing employees to strike a better balance between work and home life.

Early birds can start working as early as 6 am and finish their day at 3 pm in Sweden.
Photo: Hans Bjurling

More than half of Sweden’s public and private sector employers allow their workers a degree of flexibility in when they start and end the working day, allowing them to spend more time with their children, leave early to go to the gym, or just stay in bed longer.

Flexitime (also called flextime) was first introduced to Sweden in the 1960s following pressure from unions, but employers soon came to see the benefits it could bring, such as increased productivity, lower absenteeism and a happier workforce.

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