Member Article

Is this the end of 9-5?

Every day many of us complain about the 9-5 grind: getting up early, losing productivity halfway through the day, and having little time to yourself in the evening. But did you know that every employee has the right to request flexible working hours? In June 2014, legislation set in stone our right to venture outside of the 9-5, and work remotely—yet only 18% of us have taken advantage of this.

Flexible hours, flexible mind

Setting your own hours, working to your body clock, and utilising times of the day where our brain is most productive (Harriet Minter), have been proven to not only improve employee well being but also efficiency. Huge companies such as (most famously) Virgin have changed their company structure and rules to allow workers to pick the hours they work, with their founder and business idol Richard Branson stating: “flexible working encourages our staff to find a better balance between their work and private lives, and through this balance they become happier and more productive” . What’s more, Branson also introduced the idea of unlimited leave. Thought to discourage unwilling workers and boost motivation, Virgin’s business ethos now centres on its employees and their needs: as long as KPI’s are achieved the timing is irrelevant. This whole ‘screw business as usual’ approach introduced by Branson last year certainly caused a stir, sparking ongoing debates on the future of our working schedule.

Why are we all still nine to fivers?

So far, it seems there is no doubt that abandoning the 9-5 is the best way forward: so why have only 18% of us jumped on board? The simple answer comes down to tradition and routine. Since the industrial revolution, the 8 hour day has been the standard, thought to be the optimum amount of hours needed to run factories efficiently. But nowadays we seldom leave our work at the office, meaning that the ‘9-5’ working day is, arguably, no longer. Think about it, when was the last time you left the office without another to do list, worked over lunch, or stayed late: over working is now the standard.

But it is the 9-5 working day which gives many of us our daily structure, a consistent time in which to engage with colleagues, and something which employees, ultimately, bond over (in love or loathing). Flexible working hours, cannot of course be adopted by every type of business or industry. Take cafe’s for example, if their workers only worked when they wanted their businesses would go under: and, more importantly we’d be unable to get our morning fix. But for larger companies which rely on individuals self motivating, there should be no difference between them working within or without the office or at what time of day they are working, as long as their individual tasks are completed, right?

What does this mean for you?

Understandably, asking your boss to change your working hours may seem daunting. Key to your request is your full justification of why this would benefit, not only you, but them as well. Make a solid list of reasons (from productivity, to time travellling etc.) and relate this directly to your current working day: employers will need to see what their business will be getting out of this change to everyday structure.

For those of us which may be slightly apprehensive in taking the plunge, you can apply some aspects of flexibility within your everyday 9-5. By simply recognizing which times you are most productive, the length of your average attention span, and analysing how your body clock works you can instill your own flexible routine. Whether that be taking a regular 20 minute break every 1.5 hours instead of a full lunch break, or structuring your time in intervals of full focus on one task rather than multitasking, you just have to find what works for you.

The 9-5 grind is an inescapable reality of working life. But whether you decide it is no longer for you or you simply want to make your 9-5 structure slightly different, incorporating elements of flexible working can really take you and your work to the next level : so give it a try!

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jade Attwood .