SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Dolly Parton said it best singing the woes of American work culture in her iconic song “9 to 5,” and one Gen Z TikToker sang to that same tune.
Brielle Asero went to the app to voice her concerns over her first full-time job, getting emotional at the thought of having no free time only to eat, sleep and shower.
She received a ton of backlash for her comments, but others, including those at the Harvard Business Review, HBR, suggested that breaking the 9 to 5 culture would be better for everyone.
What a way to make a livin’
The National Institutes of Health found that shift workers are at a 33% higher risk of depressive symptoms than non-shift workers.
Zipdo found that in 2023, 53% of Americans are currently unhappy at work, with Gen Z workers having the highest level of work dissatisfaction at 62%.
The American Institute Of Stress reported that 63% of workers are ready to quit their jobs to avoid work-related stress.
Additionally, turnover and absenteeism that come with job dissatisfaction cost employers $450 to $550 billion annually.
Work from home
Remote work could be a solution to revolutionizing the way we work, as 68% of Americans prefer to work from home.
Views on remote work have shifted following the 2020 pandemic and software advancements allowing for faster project turnover.
Working from home has been proven to boost work satisfaction, lessen time unproductive, reduce work-related stress, improve morale, lessen sick days, make for a better work-life balance and reduce your carbon footprint.
There are a few setbacks to remote work, as not all Americans have fast internet and there is a higher propensity for loneliness.
27% of the American workforce works from home with the majority performing individual creative work.
Apollo Technical provides tips for remote workers:
- Stay organized
- Create a comfortable workspace
- Follow intense work intervals with breaks
- Have co-worker check-ins
HBR has included a guide for organizations to break from the 9 to 5 framework by prioritizing outcomes over where, when and how work is done.
Make it clear what needs to be in person, such as leadership meetings, orientations and one-on-ones, and hold others accountable.
They cite experimentation and breaking the status quo could render surprising results in productivity and morale.
The four-day workweek
Bankrate reported that 89% of American full-time workers support a four-day workweek, with 30 companies in the country are currently on a four-day pilot.
The U.S. trials observed that revenue was up 37.55% from the year prior and an increased rate of hire.
Post-trial workers reported decreased stress, burnout, fatigue, reduction in child care costs and improvements in mental and physical health.
As the demographics of the American workforce change, Gen Zers and Millennials are looking to revolutionize the American way of life through the way they work as the remote work and four-day workweek movements gain steam.
