Demise of the Nine to Five

The Rise of the Millennials…and the Subsequent Demise of the 9-to-5

gcfl production on vacation

It’s easy to make a few jokes here and there at the expense of millennials. After all, Generation Y is often flagged as unmotivated slackers languishing away on social media and dreaming of the utopian workplace. Sure, there are a few nuggets of truth hidden in this outlook; particularly since much of Gen Y was indeed raised during the foreboding age of coddling and with the incessant ‘everyone is a winner!!’ mentality. Nonetheless, millennials are a rapidly expanding and undeniable sector of the American workforce, which means their visions of the workplace not only matter, but will continue to matter as time creeps forward. Which leads us to this week’s topic: The Rise of the Millennials…and the Subsequent Demise of the 9 to 5.

In a recent report by MBO Partners on the State of Independence in America in 2015, research revealed that the single most-often cited factor for working independently was the ability to control work schedules. What’s more, 65% reported that flexibility was more important than making the most money. Come again?? Something is more important than making as much money as possible?? Generational shifts indeed…

All joking aside, workplace trends are moving further and further away from the scope of traditional office life, thanks in large part to Generation Y.  Flexible work schedules, better work-life integration, and the option to work remotely are becoming more and more popular as millennials take on the workforce, and who can blame them? As creatives, we are completely on board with the notion of flexible work schedules (i.e. the death of the traditional 9 to 5) and here’s why:

Creativity Should Have No Confines: If you are in the creative field, the idea that you should be harnessing your superpowers Monday through Friday, between the hours of 9 to 5 is absurd. Creativity has no bounds, and as such, should flow freely whenever and wherever you can make it happen (#makeithappen2016).

 

11373823_1844122262480107_1394402715_n-Life Balance is Not a Mythical Unicorn: An oft-cited reason for flexible work schedules is the dream of a better balance between work life and home life. Whether you want to make it to your kid’s soccer game at 3:30 or are simply trying to maintain your late-night social life, the idea is that if you can get your work done early in the morning, late at night, and/or anywhere in between, you damn well should be allowed to.  

Work Hard, Play Hard: We suspect that part of the reason of why millennials are so successful with flexible hours is because they just spent 4-plus years in an environment (hint: college) where they are required to attend class and study during times that don’t align with M-F/9-5. They worked hard and played hard to get that diploma…why not let the trend continue?

1985 Called…They Want Their Work Philosophy Back: Simply stated, the times are changing. Before technology, it made sense to report to a brick and mortar office every day for face-to-face meetings, but in 2016 one can easily take a meeting from their bed without anyone being the wiser. Answering emails on the go, taking conference calls from anywhere in the world, connecting in an instant…they are all contributing to the demise of the 9 to 5.

Resistance is Futile: Face it, it is. Rather than fight the change, embrace it by finding ways to make flexible work schedules and working from home an advantage for YOU and for YOUR EMPLOYEES.

10865194_387731808066746_1121841583_n

12230904_413561382168254_114643860_n12519495_1653440064935397_1464129817_n