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Questions have been raised over the effectiveness of the traditional workday, with new data suggesting employees are more productive outside the hours of nine-to-five.
According to a global survey on work preferences released by Fiverr, 71 per cent of Aussie workers believe they’re most productive outside of nine-to-five work hours. This was most commonly observed in respondents in the Gen Z bracket, with nearly a third (27 per cent) feeling most creative and inspired outside of nine-to-five work hours.
The survey, which gained insight from over 9,000 employees and freelancers, suggested that embracing diverse working styles and prioritising skills and productivity over hours worked can help ensure organisations maintain a diverse and competitive workforce.
Michal Miller Levi, senior director of market research and insights at Fiverr, said: “Research has shown that the corporate work structure often fails to accommodate the needs of diverse talent, from young workers to parents, who thrive with flexibility and control over their work lives.
“This next-gen talent pool is the driver of the freelance population growth in recent years as they seek the control to work where and when they are most creative and productive. Fiverr’s freelance community has demonstrated that with the flexibility to work wherever they want, at the hours of their choosing, they’re able to produce the highest-quality work and carry projects over the finish line.”
Among respondents in Australia, the data showed just over a third (36 per cent) of workers prefer to work from home or to choose where they work each day.
Millennial workers surveyed were most likely to prefer flexible or remote work, with 42 per cent citing their optimal work environment as either remotely at home or being able to choose different places depending on the day. Meanwhile, Gen X, Gen Z and Baby Boomer respondents were less likely to say the same (33 per cent, 32 per cent and 31 per cent, respectively).
The data also revealed the reasons behind the preference to work remotely.
Sixty-seven per cent said they wanted to save money and time commuting, while 43 per cent said they found it distracting to work in an office space.
Meanwhile, 32 per cent of Millennial workers surveyed said they preferred to work remotely because it makes it easier to manage childcare responsibilities.
The ideal work week
The survey suggested that too many hours altogether were being put into the traditional work week.
Sixty-eight per cent of Aussie workers said they could complete their current workload in a four-day week, with this most common in the Millennials surveyed (74 per cent).
Australian workers surveyed estimate they are productive for an average of 31 hours per week. Just over one in 10 Australian respondents (14 per cent) estimate they are only productive for at most 20 hours per week.
Globally, the data indicated workers want to cut back on meetings and collaborate in-person when it matters.
Forty-six per cent of workers surveyed whose work requires them to work with or around others, either virtually or in person, prefer to have no more than one meeting a day.
That being said, when it comes to meetings, 59 per cent of workers surveyed would prefer them to be in person, either in an office or in another location, such as a coffee shop.
More senior workers surveyed are more likely to prioritise in-person interaction. Forty-eight per cent of respondents at the director level said they wanted to work with colleagues regularly or all of the time. Meanwhile, 29 per cent of entry-level workers surveyed said they would prefer to communicate with colleagues through messaging platforms like Slack or via text.
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