Defenders of the good ole’ days will have a counter argument that the traditional 9-5 workday is thriving and will never go away. Maybe so but, that remains to be seen. Employees increasingly want to untethered themselves from the 24/7 work culture and instead are searching for jobs that let them better balance their careers and personal lives. And, while the shift in attitude about the new way of working can be attributed to Millenialls and GenerationZ, even some older workers are beginning to seek for flexible work arrangements from their employers —in other words, the work-life-balance is becoming infectious.

Meghan M.Biro article Did Millennials Kill the 9-to-5 Workday, or Just Point Out That It’s Dead? is wonderful read on topic and reads in part;

“Millennials are mostly comfortable with change. If they take a job at one company, and start to feel overworked or undervalued, they’ll just move on to another company. They certainly don’t want to be chained to a desk for 40-plus hours a week.

Millennials are not lazy. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. If they have an employer that enables them to do so, they’ll skillfully blend their work and personal lives to get the balance they’re looking for. 

If your organization can offer amenities like advanced training, remote or flexible work schedules, the latest and greatest when it come stop technology, and some regular encouragement and appreciation, this generation is much more likely to stay with your company for the long haul.

I think it’s good that we’re redesigning the concept of the 9-to-5 workday. Technology allows us to work where we want when we want. For progressive organizations, it makes sense to harness that potential.

So how can businesses tap into what this generation wants and keep them interested in their careers? Encouraging a culture that embraces flexible schedules and mobile work environments is the best place to start. As a business owner, think about how you can offer more flexibility in your workplace.

• What duties or roles can be performed online or remotely, either on a full or part-time basis? Some typical examples include writing and research, marketing, sales and development.
• How will different teams communicate effectively? Explore collaborative platforms designed for creative roles, or perhaps a solution that combines file sharing and workplace communication (like Dropbox or Google Messenger). 
• If you can’t provide a fully remote-based work schedule, maybe you can offer a few hours of flex time or one day each week where people have the option to work from home.”

Bottom-line- It’s a movement that should not be ignored and business and HR leaders should be ready to adapt their hiring practices to reflect modern-day employee preference that includes, working for organizations that offer flexible work arrangements. In the end, every company wants a happy and productive workforce, which usually translates to increase profits.

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