Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

'I Thought He Was Joking': Finnish Huawei Boss Slammed for 'Crazy' 7-Day Work Week Proposal

'I Thought He Was Joking': Finnish Huawei Boss Slammed for 'Crazy' 7-Day Work Week Proposal

According to Huawei Finland's cyber security chief Mika Lauhde, who personally admitted to having worked 80-hour weeks with no summer vacation for years, seven-day work weeks would bolster Finland's stance against competitors.

Huawei Finland's cyber security chief Mika Lauhde has raised eyebrows with his suggestion to introduce a seven-day work week to catch up with China and the US.

According to Lauhde, Huawei's employees in Silicon Valley and Shenzhen regularly work 80 hours a week with minimal vacations.

“I work 80-hour weeks all the time myself and I haven't had summer vacation in four years”, Lauhde said.

Lauhde's interview sparked strong reactions as he clearly went against the common European trend, as countries and major companies are discussing shorter working hours. Earlier Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin even toyed with the idea of a six-hour working day.

Annina Ropponen, a professor at the National Institute of Occupational Health, first thought that Lauhde's proposal was a joke and said that it wouldn't work in Finland.

“I think it's simply impossible, how would we handle our everyday life? In some Asian countries it may work, but it depends on the work culture. There are some workers who work a long way from home, travel to work once a year, work for several months, and then return home for a few weeks holiday”, she told national broadcaster Yle.

According to Ropponen, Europeans devote more attention to their leisure and rest than in other parts of the world. She also points out that in Finland and large parts of Europe there are no personnel willing to work on an assembly line, such as in China.

“If you are not willing to work 80 hours a week, then someone else will,” Ropponen said, referring to the rock-hard competition.

Juha Ojala, the head of consulting at the service union PAM, called Lauhde's proposal “completely crazy”. According to him, free time and holidays don't affect productivity in a negative way.

“It is not a coincidence that the labour legislation and the collective agreement both stipulate a 40-hour work week. I believe our labour legislation is completely right”, he said.

Instead, he also advocated shorter working weeks that would increase efficiency. According to Ojala, for a small country like Finland, it is almost impossible to compete with countries with larger populations when it comes to workload.

Ojala sees Finland's strength lies in other areas: not quantity, but knowledge.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), workloads of 55 hours and over lead, among other things, to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. According to Ropponen, this 55-hour limit should be applied to all jobs.

“We have a biophysiological clock in us. We need a certain amount of sleep and leisure so that we can recover and do something else. And that applies regardless of whether we perform physically, mentally or cognitively challenging work,” she emphasised.

According to her, productivity reaches its maximum during the first hours of the working day and then drops markedly.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Saudi Arabia Faces Uncertainty Over Succession After Mohammed bin Salman
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
×