The American work scene is changing. In a new survey by data protection company Mozy, managers revealed that the once-heralded nine-to-five work schedule is beginning to change to a more ambiguous regimen with the emphasis put on productivity rather than time spent in office.
“Workers around the world are making the most of the technology available to them to create more flexibility in their day for work and family,” said Russ Stockdale, general manager of Mozy. “Hard work isn’t going unnoticed and mobile technology is having more of an impact on employer attitudes than people think.”
According to the survey, the average manager is indifferent to employees arriving up to a half hour later than the usual 9 a.m. punch-in. Managers will also let their staff spend a quarter of the week working from home.
Furthermore, while many managers may not mind where or when their employees get their work done, nearly 75 percent of them actually provide the tools they need for their workforce to maintain productivity from anywhere. Also, 20 percent of U.S. employers provide the tools that allow workers to access material from mobile devices, using database software much like FileMaker Go.
Also, 48 percent of managers responded saying they don’t mind when employees take longer lunches and are often fine with their workforces enjoying “office banter” and taking regular breaks. In return, over half of all employees surveyed “think nothing” of leaving work early for a personal appointment or errands.
While the work world is shifting toward a more relaxed and lenient lifestyle, it may benefit managers who work in these cultures to consult a FileMaker developer that can create a custom database that allows all employees to track projects remotely and know exactly what is expected of them and by when.