A recent study conducted by Adobe revealed that many young professionals prefer to start their work day in the evening, working well into the night. The study surveyed over 5,500 workers across the globe and found that the youngest generation of workers is over three times more likely to work during late hours than the oldest generation of workers. While the business world tends to favor early birds, Studies show that shift work may change workers' productivity preferences.
As remote working becomes more common and while the Gen Z workforce is set to take up 25% of the workforce by 2025, businesses could potentially shift their working hours later to accommodate night owl professionals. Younger workers often seek flexible working policies, which are necessary for businesses to attract and retain the next cohort of talent. Half of Gen Z workers plan to leave their employer because of time and productivity struggles, according to Adobe's research, and younger generations of employees are calling for companies to provide workplace and schedule flexibility essential to ensure they can work effectively.
A recent study revealed that flexible scheduling and location were among the top reasons why employees remained loyal to their employers. Surprisingly, only a small percentage of businesses in the U.S., U.K., and Japan offered flexible working hours, despite nearly half of workers expressing their desire for it. However, the study showed that in the past six months, more than a third of managers worldwide implemented flexible working hours. To implement such changes, companies must adopt new perspectives, establish trust in employees, modernize processes, and implement the right tools, according to the researchers.