Can we make productivity an objective conversation, by giving employees control over their time?

In a sleek, modern office, nestled in the heart of the city, Julia, a seasoned manager, called a meeting with Alex, a promising young software developer. The team had been working on a high-stakes project, with a tight deadline, and Julia needed to address a pressing issue: Alex’s preference for working remotely, rather than from the office.

“Thanks for meeting with me, Alex. I wanted to discuss your recent request to continue working from home,” Julia started, her voice steady but friendly.

Alex nodded. “Sure, Julia. I’ve found that I’m more productive at home. I can focus better without the usual office distractions and interruptions.”

Julia leaned forward slightly, her hands resting on the desk. “We’re at a critical phase of this project. There are multiple components that need to be integrated, and collaboration has become essential. Working from the office would allow for quicker brainstorming sessions, immediate feedback, and more effective teamwork.”

Alex pondered over her response. “But isn’t there a risk of burnout if I’m working more hours at the office?”

While working from home in 2020 and 2021, they demonstrated to their bosses that they are able to?maintain, or in some cases even increase, their productivity while working flexibly. Their bosses, on the other hand, have been pulling them in the opposite direction; executives and managers have been fighting to get workers back into the offices that companies are paying a lot of money to lease.

This struggle has affected workers and companies alike. Workers quit en masse during a period that became known as “the Great Resignation,” and employers who instituted return-to-office mandates have?struggled to hire and retain top talent. Now, especially with?Gen Z making up an increasing share of the working population?and the conversations around hybrid work and returning to the office stagnating, demands for increased flexibility in work arrangements are still top of mind for many employees and job seekers.

According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics,?resignations have been steadily increasing for more than a decade. Part of the reason for this increase, it seems, is that workers have been contemplating the kinds of lives they want and reflecting on the role they want work to play in their lives. The reality is that people spend a lot of their lives working, and because of that, people’s day-to-day work experiences have a substantial impact on how satisfied they are with their lives.?

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Dealing with the sense of time scarcity

We should understand the difference between feeling like you don’t have enough time to do the things you need to do (referred to in this line of research as a sense of time scarcity) and feeling like you don’t have control over your time. These feelings can go hand in hand, but they don’t always. For instance, you might feel a sense of time scarcity when your schedule is filled with tasks you don’t have time to complete, even if you have total control over that schedule.

There exist few key patterns, that can help us to collectively understand the tension between employees and employers in the conflict over whether (and how often) employees should be required to return to the office. First, people who had greater control over their time, that is, who had more flexibility in their work schedules, had the highest job satisfaction and overall satisfaction with their lives. Second, those who felt a sense of time scarcity had less satisfaction with their jobs and were less satisfied with their lives. These findings mean that feeling like you don’t have enough time?and?feeling like you don’t have control over the limited time you do have are both negative predictors of well-being.

The company’s culture and policies often dictate the expected number of working hours. In some organizations, long hours are a norm or even a sign of dedication, while others may emphasize work-life balance with more flexible schedules. For some individuals, working a certain number of hours aligns with their personal goals, such as achieving a sense of accomplishment or maintaining a structured daily routine. They may find satisfaction in completing tasks and contributing to the organization’s success. Synchronizing work hours with the rest of the team can enhance communication and productivity.

The driving factor behind worker satisfaction seems to be how much control over their time workers feel they have. Employees are not resisting the office because they don’t want to work or want to work less; instead, they want to be able to control their time — to do some chores between Zoom meetings, for instance, or get more regular exercise instead of spending?10 days per year (or almost a year of one’s life) commuting.

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Integrating flexibility in workplace policies

To meet employees’ diverse needs, employers should engage in continuous dialogue with workers to understand their desired degrees of structure and autonomy. Employers can institute workplace policies that create flexibility and control for workers, including remote, hybrid, or asynchronous work options and leave policies that afford employees more time with their loved ones. In addition to helping employees be more satisfied at work and potentially increasing retention, these types of policies can also help organizations become more accessible and equitable.

Some employees benefit from more structured work arrangements and mentoring opportunities, suggesting?a need for both flexibility and structured support?even in remote work environments, as can be the case with employees starting their careers. As workplaces navigate future work arrangements, it will be important for them to ensure that their workers get all the support they need.

When you manage your time effectively, you're less likely to feel overwhelmed by tasks and deadlines. Proper scheduling helps ensure that you can handle responsibilities without constant pressure, which contributes to better mental and emotional well-being.