How one uses time is an important factor for both collective and individual happiness. In general, one works for long hours either to accomplish his/her basic needs or to fulfill the requirements of employment rules.
While former one pertains to economic dimension, which calls for more complex economic interventions, the latter one can be directly addressed by government policy on time use as follows:
1. Office hours- Reduce office hours from 8 hours to 7 hours (9:30 am to 4:30 pm)
While we claim that our development approach is different from capitalist countries, we are still following their working hours of 8 hours. If we are serious about the time use (one of GNH dimensions) in relation to time spent with family and reducing work related stress, cutting down woking hours from 8 hours to 7 hours will have huge impact on relationship with family, stress level and other social aspects.
2. Maternity leave- Increase maternity leave from 3 months to 6 months
The most integral aspect of GNH concept is to put people at the center stage in the policy making process as opposed to that of capitalist world where financial cost-benefit analysis determines the decision making process.
We may not be able to afford social welfare system similar to Scandinavian countries, where paid maternity leave starts from 10 to 12 months. Nevertheless, our stress on balancing material wellbeing and social wellbeing justifies enough to increase the current system of maternity leave from 3 months to 6 months.
While former one pertains to economic dimension, which calls for more complex economic interventions, the latter one can be directly addressed by government policy on time use as follows:
1. Office hours- Reduce office hours from 8 hours to 7 hours (9:30 am to 4:30 pm)
While we claim that our development approach is different from capitalist countries, we are still following their working hours of 8 hours. If we are serious about the time use (one of GNH dimensions) in relation to time spent with family and reducing work related stress, cutting down woking hours from 8 hours to 7 hours will have huge impact on relationship with family, stress level and other social aspects.
2. Maternity leave- Increase maternity leave from 3 months to 6 months
The most integral aspect of GNH concept is to put people at the center stage in the policy making process as opposed to that of capitalist world where financial cost-benefit analysis determines the decision making process.
We may not be able to afford social welfare system similar to Scandinavian countries, where paid maternity leave starts from 10 to 12 months. Nevertheless, our stress on balancing material wellbeing and social wellbeing justifies enough to increase the current system of maternity leave from 3 months to 6 months.
