Eyeing Productivity, Jobseekers Want Control Over Their Schedules and Employers May Agree

By Mitch Atkinson, Owner of Express Employment Professionals of Irvine, CA 

American jobseekers and companies may be rethinking the traditional 40-hour work week as long as productivity remains at, or exceeds, current levels. This is according to a recent survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals.

When given the option of working an 8-hour workday (but flexible start time), traditional 9 a.m.  to 5 p.m. or a compressed schedule such as 10 hours per day for 4 days a week, jobseekers most commonly pick an 8-hour day with a flexible start time (40%). Nearly 1 in 5 (18%) would prefer a compressed schedule. If given the ability to design their own work schedule (i.e., working non-traditional hours for the same pay), most feel they would be more productive (56%) or they would have about the same level of productivity (39%). It appears that companies may also be embracing the idea of non-traditional work schedules.

More than 9 in 10 hiring managers (94%) report employees at their company are productive—with nearly half (48%) saying they are very productive currently. And, if given the ability to design their own schedules, hiring managers feel employees would have about the same level of productivity (53%) or even be more productive (35%). Ultimately, it appears 40-hour work weeks are not necessarily needed to have a productive workforce. And, two-thirds of jobseekers (66%) agree they will soon be a thing of the past. However, there still appears to be some hesitation in companies offering this amount of flexibility. Three-quarters of hiring managers (75%) say they have some concerns about their company offering flexible work hours, including decreased productivity (30%), increased distractions (29%), delayed communications (28%) and an inability of employees to collaborate (28%).

Despite the return of some segments to the workforce, businesses are still desperate for workers, and figuring out what incentives work best for employees at individual companies is key, according to Express Employment International CEO Bill Stoller said. “If production can remain high while offering flexible scheduling options, it may be worth it to try,” he said.

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The Irvine Express office is located at 13700 Alton Parkway, Suite 156 Irvine, CA 92618 and serves the Irvine, Tustin, Lake Forest, Foothill Ranch, Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita marketplace. Local businesses and applicants are encouraged to get in touch at their convenience. Call 949.583.7400 or visit www.expresspros.com/irvineca/.