The 9-to-5 may be history, regardless of whether employers can get workers back into the office.
Driving the news: Research published by Microsoft shows that a growing number of employees are clocking out a bit early before logging back on to get some work done before bed, shaking up the traditional 9-to-5 workday.
- Microsoft’s data points to more workers carving out a window of personal time between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. before getting back to work later in the evening.
- It’s not just remote workers breaking away from the 9-to-5, either. 7% fewer virtual and in-person meetings are being scheduled between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. this year, according to Microsoft’s data.
Why it matters: Even a return-to-office might not mean a return to a 9-to-5 workday. After years of flexibly-scheduled remote work, many employees are reluctant to give up picking their kids up from school (or getting in a midday round of golf).
- For now, Canada’s historically low unemployment rate means even employers who want their staff working 9-to-5 have little choice but to accommodate demands for flexible scheduling.
- In one survey, 55% of Canadian workers said flexible work arrangements were the most important thing employers could offer to improve their mental health.
Yes, but: Flexible schedules have their downsides, blurring the lines between work and personal life with emails and chat pings arriving at all hours of the day (and night).
- Microsoft found that their Teams users send, on average, 42 percent more chats per person after hours.
- Coordinating everyone’s schedules can also be difficult when people set their own hours, forcing some workers to stay “online” much longer than they would in a traditional 9-to-5.
Bottom line: The 9-to-5 may be gone for good, but it’s still TBD whether what replaces it ultimately leaves workers better off. —LA
