People have been left 'skeptical' over the new 'chronoworking' trend Gen Z would be 'drawn to'.
As Gen Z, the generation born between 1997 to 2012, grow older, it's clear more and more of them are now making up the workforce.
So, it seems only natural that the workplace environment will change to keep up with the times - something we've already seen heaps of with the Coffee Badging phenomenon,
But the latest trend seems to be all to do with the wellness-work balance but it's clear not everyone is on board with it.
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What is the chronoworking trend?
Well, in short, chronoworking - a term first coined by writer Ellen Scott - simply involves adjusting working hours to align with an employee's natural sleep rhythms and body clock.
The idea is that doing so will help increase productivity for workers who find that they're more productive and efficient outside of the traditional 9-5 working hours.
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So, whether you're an early bird who gets the most done before the sun's risen or whether you're a night owl who finds themselves less distracted when the stars are out - chronoworking may be the thing for you.
Why do Gen Z like the chronoworking trend so much?
Now, according to Adobe's Future of Time report, twice as many Gen Z workers feel more productive between 6pm and 3am than Gen Xers AKA those born between 1965 to 1980.
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Baby Boomers, however, are the most likely to stick to the traditional 9-5 working hours.
Whether you prefer early, traditional or late shifts, having an employer who respects which hours are most suitable for your own personal circadian rhythm could allow for a productivity boost and offer a new wellness factor to the job.
The experts at Tomorrow Bio say: "When you respect your body’s natural patterns and work in harmony with them, you are less likely to experience fatigue, burnout, and other negative effects of pushing yourself beyond your limits."
How can a workplace implement the chronoworking trend?
OK, so not every workplace may be able to implement the chronoworking trend but, if they could, it would look a little something like this according to The Startup Scoup.
- Survey your employees: learn more about their natural sleeping and waking patterns to establish needs throughout the workplace
- Embrace flexibiliity: consider a range of flexible work options, from flexi-time to remote work to accomodate preferences
- Leveraging technology: use collaboration tools and project management software to facilitate flexible communication and task completion
- Shift your perspective: instead of focusing on clock-watching and attendance, focus on results and achievements over hours logged
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What do people think of the chronoworking trend?
The trend has since made its rounds on social media with many rushing to share their verdicts on it.
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A management coach, Vincent Anderson, took to TikTok to explain a little more about it prompting many viewers to leave their thoughts on the matter.
One TikTok user commented: "It sounds great if you work on your own but working in a team (even when WFH) sometimes needs coordination and communication, so there would have to be some agreement on some core hours I would think."
A second penned: "Considering adjusting work start time to match mid-morning energy levels, but skeptical it would be effective since it might just lead to changing sleep patterns."
And a final TikTok user added: "I feel like I’ve been doing that pattern anyway since WFH, so interesting."
Rhiannon Ingle