The 9 to 5 schedule is 'really archaic,' HR expert says: Employees are 'tired of being told what to do'

Remote and hybrid work models have shown that most employees do not need to be in offices for full eight-hour days, making the traditional 9-to-5 schedule outdated. The misalignment between office hours and responsibilities like school drop-offs and child care increases stress and burnout. The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated experimentation with flexible work, prompting many employees to resist strict schedules and return-to-office mandates. Companies often enforce in-office requirements to recoup real estate costs and because some managers rely on physical presence as a control mechanism. Organizational inertia and managerial reluctance to redesign workflows hinder adoption of more flexible, sustainable workplace norms.

With the rise of remote work, few employees truly need to be present in their offices for eight hours a day and it's time for companies to adjust their workplace norms accordingly, says Anessa Fike, founder and CEO of fractional HR consulting firm Fike+ Co and author of "The Revolution of Work." According to Fike, the standard schedule of working in-office from 9 to 5 is "really archaic."

"We've seen so many changes in every other area of our lives, yet we are still doing the same thing that our parents and some of our grandparents did in the workplace," she says. The traditional work model can make it difficult and stressful for employees to juggle their other responsibilities: Fike points out that the 9-to-5 schedule doesn't line up with school hours, which makes it challenging for parents to coordinate child care.

The Covid-19 pandemic marked a turning point in the workplace, Fike says. After getting a taste of remote or hybrid work during the pandemic, many workers are pushing back against strict schedules and return-to-office mandates. "I think we are collectively just super tired of being told what to do as humans," Fike says. Companies 'don't feel like figuring it out' There are several reasons that companies may be reluctant to relax their hours and location requirements, Fike says.

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