Is $15 Billion Enough to Repair Volkswagen's Broken Image?

After nearly a year of following this story, it’s good to see that Volkswagen will finally be paying some substantive money to rectify its disastrous emissions scandal. They’ll be paying a reported $10 billion to consumers, $5 billion to the EPA – about 20% of VW’s worth as a company. It’s the largest settlement deal in US automotive history, but I’m still not sure it’s enough – executives who were directly responsible for deceit and creating default devices should be prosecuted. You can read more on this at NPR. 

Image: Getty Images via NPR

The Six-Hour Work Day

It’s hard to argue with some of the results seen in Sweden in favor of a six hour workday. Workers generally seem to be better rested, and therefore more productive in the time that they spend at work. While many business leaders argue that having to hire more staff due to the shorter workday is too costly, many types businesses have seen that initial cost covered by the increased productivity of workers. While it may not work for all businesses, it seems to work at least for some. All in all, employees should be measured by their output and the quality of their work, not by the hours they spend in the office. Relying on more substantive metrics to understand our workers will lead to a more comprehensive system for employees and managers alike. You can read more about this in-depth at The New York Times. 

Photo: Gabrielle Tikman, a surgery nurse, thinks the six-hour workday helps her stay focused. Image by Magnus Laupa for NYT.