Flexible working could soon be taken to a whole new level, with experts predicting 2024 could give rise to a trend that could see Aussies working into the early hours of the morning, as opposed to the regular 9-5.
Hybrid working and flexible hours are increasingly becoming not just an added perk, but key expectations for many jobs. But as more Gen Zers enter the workforce the type of flexibility being demanded is changing.
As a result, ‘chronoworking’ is expected to be the next big work trend. It essentially refers to employees being allowed to work to their own circadian rhythms and the time they are most productive, rather than strict working hours.
The term was first used in a newsletter published by UK journalist Ellen Scott, who predicted employees will be “looking more deeply into how our body clocks and natural dips and rises in energy should define our working day”.
“Early birds might pick up a 6-3, night owls will ask for later starts, and perhaps we’ll consider siestas or wellness slots in place of the afternoon productivity slump. We’ll be using our time and energy more strategically,” Scott wrote.
And she isn’t the only one who thinks this kind of shift is on the cards, with Adobe’s Future of Time report finding there are stark differences in preferred working hours between different generations.
Of those surveyed, Gen Zers were the most likely to prefer the working hours of 6pm to 3am, with 26 per cent opting for this shift compared to 13 per cent of Gen Xers.
Just six per cent of Boomers saw the graveyard shift as the optimal time to work, with the majority preferring to log on before 9am and stick closer to the standard 9-5 schedule.
Georgie Roberts, director of people and operations at Float.com, a fully remote resource management software company, believes an employee’s preferred way of working should always be taken into account, regardless of where they are doing their work.
“We’re a 45-plus people team working asynchronously (choose your own hours) around the world,” the Melbourne-based leader told news.com.au.
“That means a lot of our interactions are work-based, whether it’s a project update, a status check-in, or a discussion.
“It’s this style of work that frees us from many of the processes and bureaucracy that comes with being in an office so that much of our ‘work time’ is available to do focused work.”
Ms Roberts said that employees’ right to work remotely and on their own terms shouldn’t be up for debate and is essential to allow for diversity and inclusivity.
It also allows for access to equal work outcomes for Aussies who may need to work from home, such as those living with disabilities.
“Working from home is inherently more inclusive by removing barriers of access. The need to WFH isn’t a ‘perk’ for everyone, for many people, it’s actually a requirement to be able to work,” she said.
“From a business perspective, it increases our diversity, and we’re able to access a wider talent pool. Additionally, it helps us to retain top talent, too. We’ve had two team members relocate in the last six months, with no negative impact on the business, no costs associated with rehiring, no time lost onboarding and training replacements – and we’ve kept two top performers. It’s a win-win.”
Ben Thompson, CEO of Aussie human resources platform, Employment Hero, believes chronoworking represents the latest development in the discussions around remote work and wouldn’t be surprised if it rises in popularity over the next few years.
“This uptake of chronoworking takes into account the natural circadian rhythms of individuals to maximise their productivity,” he said.
“It’s an approach that highlights the benefits of remote working, offering the freedom to work at optimal times.”
While the company may not explicitly use the chronoworking label, allowing staff to work in a way that fits around their daily lives is something Employment Hero has long advocated.
The company switched to a fully remote model almost four years ago, and it is this flexibility that has allowed it to hire key talent all over the world.
“As a remote company, we’ve been most successful in attracting and retaining the best talent by remunerating based on output, not the specific times at which employees work or their location,” he said.
“Every person knows the times of the day where they are more productive, and so if the structure of chronoworking produces better outcomes for productivity as well as a better work life balance for employees, it should be encouraged.
“We see this style of working in action when staff members may log off earlier to fulfil personal commitments, only to resume their tasks in the evening.”
Mr Thompson said this model also works well for asynchronous work, with the company encouraging the use of video updates and recorded meetings when people are collaborating across different time zones.
“We find this style enables us to maintain high levels of productivity and output across a global team,” he said.