While a traditional 9-to-5 job was the norm in the days of electric typewriters and smoking in the office, this is no longer the case, according to a CareerBuilder.ca survey.
The study found 68% of employers and 59% of workers feel the 8-hour day is an out-dated concept.
One of the reasons for this is because most workers – 61% – say they check email when they are not actually at work.
Almost half of all employers say they expect employees to stay connected at all times.
“Thanks to technology that allows workers more flexibility in when and where they work, workers no longer feel the need to stick to a traditional ‘nine to five’ schedule,” said Mark Bania, managing director of CareerBuilder.ca.
“Giving employees more control over when and how they work can improve satisfaction rates, leading to enhanced productivity and higher retention.”
As well, almost half of all survey respondents – 49% – report staying at work longer than their official hours.
Men are more likely than women to both work outside of office hours (56% compared with 43%), and they are also more likely to check email on their off time (69% compared with 53%).
