Have you ever wondered how the eight-hour workday came to be considered the standard? There are various and intriguing conversations around whether the unions or Henry Ford had the most influence on the standardization of the workweek. Ultimately, the 40-hour week was signed into law in 1940. After which, the 9-to-5 workday grew into a staple of professional life. But many leaders are questioning if it’s still relevant in today’s world.
With technology making it possible to work from anywhere, many professionals are embracing more schedule flexibility for their teams to facilitate a better work-life balance and boost the team’s productivity and performance. As it turns out, schedule flexibility benefits both the company and the employee and is often an incredibly savvy business move.
Flexibility Can Be Brilliant Business
A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that the brain works better when it has a chance to rest and recover between periods of intense activity, has lower stress, and can work when it’s most resilient. If you’re considering a transition to a more flexible environment for your team, there’s solid science to support your decision.
Understanding the Science
Science shows that everyone has natural cycles of productivity and recovery known as ultradian rhythms. These biological cycles repeat throughout the day and govern our bodies’ energy, mood, and cognitive function. They operate in 90-minute intervals, which means that none of us work at our peak for eight hours (or even four hours). This has important implications for the way we perceive a successful workplace.
At a minimum, to encourage creativity and innovation, employers should begin implementing policies that empower employees to take breaks throughout the day rather than focus on long, draining chunks of time. By providing opportunities for downtime, employers can create an environment that is more conducive to creativity and innovation. And one person’s high point might be another’s slump (think night owl vs early bird). Work flexibility allows us to focus when we’re at our most effective and take breaks when our mind needs them—not when they’re imposed on us.
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Supporting Creative Rhythms
There’s a massive focus on learning time management skills in the professional world. But side by side with that, employees should also be encouraged to manage their daily energy levels to maximize productivity and creative thinking. As noted above, our bodies were designed to work in stages, followed by breaks, rather than constantly throughout the day. But just as we all have distinctive external features, such as our highly unique fingerprints, we also have an individualized internal rhythm.
Studies show that everyone has unique peaks and valleys in their energy and focus throughout the day. Giving employees space to discover theirs will often boost both productivity and a sense of job satisfaction among your team. Allowing your team members to work with their natural rhythms can be the catalyst you’ve been missing for outstanding creative performance from your team members.
Flexibility in Environment
We’d be remiss not to highlight that, at its core, the concept of flexible work is about more than simply allowing your employees to work their most productive hours. It requires a holistic approach to being employee-focused and challenging the current status quo that we’ve come to accept. Flexible working can provide the sort of conditions in which creativity flourishes. For a start, bright and open traditional office spaces are highly focused on collaboration. But they often disregard the inner focus some team members will need to thrive.
In contrast, flexible working arrangements can offer a greater degree of control over one’s environment, allowing for alternative collaboration and then retreat to quieter uninterrupted work periods. And allowing employees to spend some of their time working from different locations ensures that they have various sources of inspiration. Perhaps it’s the fresh air of a balcony or a green space. For others, it might be a café or museum. By breaking up their routine, they’ll constantly open themselves up to fresh input.
Alleviating Stress Can Boost Focus
The brain has a limited ability to classify and manage stress. Home and work have always competed for time and attention. But the demands of the modern workplace and a distance in community support on a personal level can often leave employees feeling overwhelmed in ways that previous generations didn’t face. For some, that’s due to conflicting childcare needs or other family obligations. For others, it’s long, anxiety-filled commutes.
Whatever the personal reasons, this can lead to decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, and even turnover. By providing flexible scheduling that helps employees meet their home needs, employers can create a more positive work environment and improve employee morale. In turn, this can lead to increased productivity and retention.
Providing a Creative Work Environment
Although it may seem counterintuitive, providing space and flexibility for your team can increase productivity and motivation. When you allow each team member to work in their way, according to their own body’s natural rhythms, they will be more productive, and job satisfaction will skyrocket. If you want to see your team reach its potential, consider giving them the freedom they need to succeed.
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