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Another fad
A new work trend called “microshifting” is on the rise, bringing chaos and confusion to the 9-to-5 model.
This new fad allows employees to break their working day into short chunks. For example, they can allot their mornings to answering emails, then head off to run an errand, take kids to school, and go to the gym.
They can come back in the afternoon to continue their work, whether meetings or computer time, before heading out again to attend to personal needs. Sometimes their work can extend to the evening after dinner.
Microshifting promotes individualism and disrupts the camaraderie that teams continually strive to build. Working similar shifts allows for more and better collaboration among teammates. It is through consistent communication that members have a common understanding of their daily workflows or ongoing projects.
A staff member suddenly logging out in the middle of the day disrupts the entire team’s work rhythms. What if critical information is needed from that particular employee? It’s ridiculous and counterproductive for another team member to assume responsibility because someone else is out in a salon or gym.
Creatures of habit
The 9-to-5 is not perfect, but it’s the best system that we have right now. It provides us with a structured routine that promotes focus and productivity. Dedicated work hours give employees a sense of stability, which helps them remain efficient throughout the day.
Microshifting proponents argue that the 9-to-5 model is outdated and designed for factory workers from the Industrial Revolution, where productivity was measured by hours rendered.
However, workers outside the 9-to-5 model also follow a predictable daily schedule. Freelance workers, artists, yoga instructors, athletes, and photographers, among others, also structure their workdays to develop a productive rhythm.
Devoting uninterrupted hours to work allows staff to be completely engrossed in their deliverables. It enables them to discover critical nuances and unlock ideas that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible if they kept leaving their desks every few minutes.
Figuring it out
Businesses all over the world are still trying to figure out remote arrangements, yet here we are with another fad. Do people have too much time on their hands, trying to fix something that has been working for years?
Microshifting makes it seem that the corporate world keeps its employees hostage for the entire day. Workers have leave credits they can use for vacation or for important errands. They’re also allowed to end their shifts early if an emergency occurs or if they have other commitments.
Perhaps we should stop reinventing our workdays and focus on our outputs instead. We’re in a pivotal moment in the tech revolution, and it’s best to stick to an age-old routine that has yielded the highest levels of productivity and has been transforming economies for the better.
The question for your business
What are your workplace routines?
