Study: Workers Are Most Productive Outside Business Hours

Fiverr’s latest study gives insight into the work preferences of 9,129 workers from seven countries, including 2,008 from the US. The study’s findings suggest that organizations need to adapt to new working styles, including flexible schedules, to maintain high productivity among their workforce.

The study reveals many workers across the world feel more creative and inspired outside of traditional 9-to-5 work hours. This percentage is the highest among US workers, with 41% agreeing they are most productive outside of these business hours.

“Research has shown that the corporate work structure often fails to accommodate the needs of diverse talent,” explains Michal Miller Levi, Senior Director of Market Research and Insights at Fiverr. “Fiverr’s freelance community has demonstrated that with the flexibility to work wherever they want, at the hours of their choosing, they’re able to produce the highest-quality work and carry projects over the finish line.”

US workers estimate they are productive for an average of 31 out of 40 work hours per week, with one in five admitting to being productive for at most 20 hours per week. Moreover, 76% of US workers believe they could complete their current weekly workload in four days, as opposed to the traditional five-day work week. Millennial workers are the most confident they could compress a standard work week into four days.

Almost a third (32%) of the surveyed US workers said they prefer to work remotely rather than go to the office. The US data by demographics is quite surprising: 40% of Baby Boomer workers – the highest percentage of all demographics – prefer to work remotely, either from home or a place of their choice.

Entry-level workers globally were less likely to describe their current work arrangement as ideal compared to senior workers, 58% vs. 80% respectively. Among US workers, 76% cited having to be present in the office more often than preferred as the main reason for dissatisfaction with their current work arrangement.

Globally, almost half of the workers (46%) whose work involves working with or around others prefer to have one meeting a day at most. As much as 59% of workers prefer in-person meetings, whether in the office or alternative places like coffee shops.

In general, the study conducted by Fiverr suggests today’s workforce values work-life balance and businesses will need to “embrace various working styles, and value skills and output over hours worked.”