Work Hours That Support Employee Well-Being

The 9-to-5 workday is a relic that’s holding us back. This model dates back to the industrial revolution when factory workers needed set hours to keep the machines running. But we’re not living in an industrial age anymore, so why are we still working like we are? 🤔 A Quick History Lesson 🤓 In agrarian societies, work was dictated by the seasons and daylight hours, not the clock. Farmers worked in bursts, with periods of intense labor followed by rest. This natural ebb and flow is much closer to how our bodies and minds are designed to work. The 9-to-5 grind? It’s the complete opposite of productive. David Graeber nails it in Bullsh*t Jobs: “Huge swathes of people spend their days performing tasks they secretly believe do not really need to be performed.” This is the essence of why the traditional workday is flawed. Here’s Why the 9-to-5 is B.S.: One Size Doesn’t Fit All: People have different peak productivity times. Some are early birds, others are night owls. Forcing everyone into the same schedule ignores individual work rhythms and can actually decrease productivity. Burnout Central: The rigid 9-to-5 can lead to burnout. Long commutes, lack of flexibility, and the pressure to perform within set hours can take a toll on mental and physical health. Stifles Creativity: Creativity doesn’t adhere to a schedule. Forcing creative processes into a 9-to-5 framework can stifle innovation and lead to mediocre outcomes. Ignores Personal Life: Life doesn’t stop outside work hours. The 9-to-5 doesn’t accommodate personal responsibilities and emergencies, leading to stress and work-life imbalance. Graeber again: “We have become a civilization based on work—not even ‘productive work’ but work as an end and meaning in itself.” So, what’s the alternative? Flexible Schedules: Let people work when they’re most productive. Boost efficiency and job satisfaction by honoring individual work rhythms. Outcome-Based Work: Focus on what gets done, not when it gets done. Measure success by results, not hours logged. Compressed Workweeks: Think four-day workweeks or compressed hours. Studies show shorter workweeks can actually boost productivity and well-being. Core Hours: Set core hours for meetings and collaboration, but allow flexibility outside of those times. The future of work isn’t about clinging to outdated models. It’s about embracing flexibility, fostering creativity, and prioritizing well-being. The 9-to-5 is dead; it’s time we move forward. How do we break free from the 9-to-5 grind and create a work culture that actually works? 👇

Data from one of the largest trials in North America conclusively concluded that the longer people worked in new efficient ways, the more their workweek shrank over time. A series of four-day workweek trials conducted in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Ireland over the past 18 months support this conclusion and more organizations are adopting it. Dozens of companies ranging from design agencies to manufacturers and nonprofits tested the four-day concept, an approach that is gaining traction as employers and employees rethink the traditional ways of work. After 6 months, workers said they had less burnout, improved health, and more job satisfaction, and had cut their average work time by about four hours to 34 hours a week. Those who continued the schedule a full 12 months reduced working times even further, to about 33 hours a week, researchers say. Meanwhile, they continued to report better mental and physical health and work-life balance. Denise Uehara, CEO and co-owner of Search Engine Journal proposed moving to a four-day workweek last year as the company wrestled with growing pains. Within six months, the company’s turnover had dropped, productivity held up, and clients didn’t notice the business had moved to a four-day week, Uehara said. The company plans to continue operating on the four-day week, with staff taking Fridays off. 

The 4-day workweek is gaining real traction across the globe, moving from a bold idea to a legitimate shift in how we define productivity. Countries like Iceland, Belgium, and the UK have already completed large-scale trials showing that working fewer hours doesn't reduce output—in many cases, it actually boosts it. In the U.S., companies in California and New York are experimenting with similar models, reporting not only improved productivity but also enhanced employee well-being, lower burnout rates, and stronger retention. As more organizations question the necessity of the traditional 40-hour workweek, the 4-day model is beginning to look less like a perk and more like the future of work. Could we be witnessing the slow fade of the 5-day workweek into history? #4DayWorkweek #FutureOfWork #WorkLifeBalance #Productivity #EmployeeWellbeing #HybridWork #WorkCulture #LeadershipTrends #HRInnovation #WorkplaceWellness #RetentionStrategy #SustainableWork

At exactly 5 p.m., a former colleague stationed himself near the exit, shouting "goodbye" to colleagues leaving. He wanted to make sure our boss knew who stayed beyond regular hours and who left promptly. This strategy was deliberate; employees, especially women, felt pressured to avoid leaving exactly at or just before 5 due to fear. Many women in the office began stashing their purses and coats in the restroom to avoid appearing as though they were leaving but rather taking a brief bathroom break. The lengths we went to hide the fact that we had lives and obligations outside of work were ridiculous. Now, despite having personal laptops and phones that blur the boundaries between work and personal life, the pressure to "stay late" continues. And so, people find it challenging to juggle responsibilities such as school pick-ups, evening activities, or simply making dinner alongside their #workload. This should not be.  A #flexible workday, anchored by core hours (such as 10 am to 4 pm), allows people to connect with colleagues while acknowledging that they may not be available outside these core hours. This empowers employees to manage their workload according to their personal schedule, fostering a healthy #worklifebalance without needing to hide their life from work.