Do people still buy into the 9-5 hype?

If you've been reading my other articles, hello again. If this is your first time, my name's Marga. Thanks for stopping by.

As I ended my last meeting for the morning and was left with a void of urgent tasks in the afternoon, one thought tickled my brain: do people still buy into the 9-5 hype? Due to the pandemic, a lot of big companies have adapted to working from home to keep their employees safe. This triggered a mindset shift that remote work is indeed possible while holding down a stable job. So it made me think, "Are people still attracted to the everyday grind of corporate life?"

I ponder this lightly and with privilege as a digital nomad so I am genuinely curious about how the other half lives. I know there is still a percentage of people who prefer to work in an actual office where they can interact with their peers physically and generally have a tangible workspace. I know that this lifestyle I'm currently living is not for everyone since for some, the workplace serves as a refuge from rambunctious children and household chores. But even with that knowledge, I'm wondering: how big of a percentage are the people who still prefer the 9-5 grind? Is it still the majority or has the mindset shift affected the general population greatly?

When I was working in corporate, that was the only life I knew. The digital nomad lifestyle wasn't even in my vocabulary. As a wide-eyed twenty-something girl, all I was taught to look for was stability and great compensation. My father, when he was still alive, traveled all over the world for work. So did my siblings. However, they all reported to an actual office when they did. So I was never cognizant that being a digital nomad was even a thing.

The shift I had to make to accommodate this lifestyle was huge, and the person I was in when I was still holding a corporate job has long since died when I got accustomed to my current setup. And that was pre-pandemic. I can just imagine the adjustments people needed to make in haste during the beginning of the pandemic, how hard it was for them and the people in their household. I wonder if it made them love the idea of remote work or did it make them miss their office cubicles more? I may never know.

As more and more candidates apply for Athena, one thing is certain: our applicants want to stay at home. Their reasons vary, of course, some like it for the safety from the current virus, some like it for the added time with their families, and some like it for the lifestyle itself. As we talk to more candidates, the more I wonder: how many more people are opening their eyes and readying their lives for the digital nomad lifestyle?

And so I'll end this with a question, do YOU still believe in the 9-5 hype? Let me know. I'm genuinely curious. I know, I know. Curiosity killed the cat, but remember, satisfaction brought it back.