The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated that old working patterns are defunct. This presents an opportunity to reconsider how to define a typical working day.
Working from home (and the challenges and opportunities this brings) has turbocharged a change in culture that was becoming apparent in the first two decades of the 21st century through increasing globalisation and the gig economy, namely that the standardised, 9am ‚’ 5pm, day is no longer a viable or desirable practice for many employees and indeed employers.
The last nine months has witnessed a cultural shift in working patterns confirming an individual‚’s ability to work remotely and within a timeframe that would not necessarily suit an office environment. This has led to a liberalisation of the working day through increased flexibility in addition to a growing acknowledgement that standardised contractual hours may not be the most efficient or effective means of ensuring productivity in a workforce.
What is apparent is that this cultural shift has not led to a decrease of productivity with the greater freedoms involved making for more focused employees and, notwithstanding covid restrictions, for improved health and wellbeing via more free time away from the workplace and a lifestyle that is more beneficial to the individual.
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