The 40-Hour Work Week is Getting Longer

In the early stages of the pandemic last year, as workers transitioned from offices to remote work from home, somehow 48 minutes were added to the average workday. The finding was made by Harvard Business School in a 16-city study of 3 million people, and the trend continues.

“Rarely do employees take the time back from their companies because they feel guilty waking up. They’re looking at their screen before 7 am and looking at it well past 7pm,” says Joshua M. Evans, a Sugar Land business consultant and keynote speaker. Evans says management plays a role: “Some of the things we can do as business owners or as people who run businesses is to give our teams permission to take the time they need and not expect responses all the time.”

Those unrelenting emails needing a response could be the biggest factor in “always-on fatigue.”

40% of remote workers queried say their days are longer. 67% say they have expectations of flexibility when working from home, and how capably managers navigate that environment can determine whether 55% will stay at their post.

photo: Getty Images


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