MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Robert Walters
Experts reveal a new trend that could change the way the workforce works. Almost half of respondents believe that being able to choose their own working hours would have a positive impact on their mental health. 35% of people believe that their organization’s flexible working policy does not meet their specific needs.
‘Chrono-working’: A revolutionary concept where employees can choose their working hours based on their natural sleep patterns is currently being trialled in companies across the UK. Australian recruitment specialists Robert Walters predict that the trend could soon become widespread in Australia.
Chronoworking, coined by British journalist Ellen C Scott, has gained recognition for its ability to boost productivity and improve work-life balance across the country. In fact, Google searches for “chronoworking” in the UK have increased by 600% compared to the previous year. Many organisations across the UK, particularly those with employees working across the globe, have already adopted this flexible approach.
Shay Peters, CEO of Robert Walters Australia and New Zealand, commented on this emerging trend, saying: “While chronoworking may seem radical at first glance, its implications have the potential to completely reshape the global workforce, creating a borderless economy.”
Recruitment experts Robert Walters point out that time-based work has the potential to significantly change the traditional workforce structure. Peters explains: “By freeing ourselves from the constraints of traditional working hours, we can ensure that there is always someone available to meet the needs of clients or customers, no matter their geographic location. This opens up the possibility of creating a truly global workforce, the likes of which we have never seen before.”
Improving mental health
Not only does chronoworking improve the experience for clients and stakeholders, but almost half (42%) of professionals in Australia believe their mental health would improve if they tried chronoworking, according to a recent study by Robert Walters.
The research findings come as 39% of employees said their organisation’s flexible working policies do not meet their needs – with most organisations taking a one-size-fits-all approach to flexible working, such as two-day working days or finishing early on Fridays.
Almost half of Australians said chronoworking would improve their mental health, and 11% of people expressed interest in experimenting with the chronoworking model, so this trend has the potential to be adopted by the Australian workforce.
Chronoworking The survey revealed additional benefits of chronoworking. A significant 42% of respondents believed that their mental health would improve if they could work according to their natural sleep patterns, leading to a better work-life balance. Additionally, 39% believed that having the freedom to choose their work hours would increase their productivity and focus. 9% believed that their sleep quality would significantly improve, and 10% expressed curiosity about the concept.
Development of flexible working hours policies
When asked what flexible work policy they would like to implement in their company, a 4-day week came in first (43%), followed by fully remote working (24%) and working from anywhere in the world (23%).
Peters added that “hybrid working should not be seen as a one-size-fits-all solution to flexible working. Instead, employers should consider incorporating elements of different flexible working models that suit their business, such as a chronoworking model that allows early birds to start and finish earlier, and night owls to start later and make up time by working later. This approach can have benefits in terms of employee morale, sleep quality and productivity levels.”
As flexible working policies remain in place post-pandemic, the time-working sentiments revealed by the Robert Walters study highlight the need for organisations to continue to improve their flexible working policies to keep pace with an evolving workforce.
As companies continue to look for new ways to optimize productivity and prioritize work-life balance, chronoworking is emerging as a promising solution. With its potential to revolutionize the global labor market, it’s a trend that shouldn’t be ignored.
About Robert Walters
Robert Walters is one of the world’s leading specialist recruitment consultancies with a global presence in 31 countries. The company’s Australian arm provides recruitment services in areas including accounting and finance, banking, engineering and operations, general management, human resources, information technology, legal, risk, compliance and audit, sales, marketing and communications, secretarial and business support, and supply chain and procurement.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.
