Hate to break it to you, Dolly Parton, but these days you’re lucky to be working a 9 to 5.
Driving the news: In a phenomenon dubbed the “infinite workday,” a new Microsoft report analyzing data from across its suite of products found that the average knowledge worker’s day has basically turned into whenever their boss feels like pinging them.
By the numbers: Meetings between 8 p.m. and midnight are up 16% year over year, with one in five meetings now happening outside of regular work hours. Workers are now sending or receiving an average of 58 messages outside work hours, a 15% jump from last year.
- And weekends are far from off limits. Not only did Microsoft clock an uptick in weekend activity, but the research found workers were using Saturdays and Sundays to catch up on work that they didn’t have the time for during the week.
Why it matters: The rise of remote work, vague expectations from bosses, and non-stop messages are blurring the lines between work and life. Experts warn that never being able to fully log off is a one-way trip to burnout — a problem that about one in four Canadians already struggle with.
Yes, but: The pandemic proved that people like working flexible hours, and some may prefer a schedule that lets them knock off early to do school pickup at 3 p.m. and log back on after dinner.—LA