THE RESULTS MAY SHOCK YOU.
Imagine a world where you never have to miss your child’s sports day. You’re free to meet your friends for brunch. You can take that part-time course you’ve always wanted to do. And best of all, you still get to do the job you love, and you’re judged purely on the quality of your work, rather than if you’re at your desk between 9-5, Monday-Friday. Sounds great, doesn’t it
200 years ago it was Robert Owen, a Victorian social reformer, who first formulated the concept of the eight-hour working day. In 1817 he coined the slogan; “Eight hours labour, Eight hours recreation, Eight hours rest”.
Back then, it was revolutionary and secured workers’ rights. But it’s still the norm by which we all work today.
So, why are we still wedded to this model in today’s world? When giant leaps in technology, super-fast wifi, and a whole suite of tools and apps all enable many of us to perform our work flexibly, why does the 9-5 still dominate the workplace?
One word: presenteeism.
The belief that in order to fulfil our jobs ‘properly’, we need to commute to an office and be visible at our desks for eight hours a day still holds powerful sway over most companies. Employers may pay lip service to offering flexibility but when it comes to the crunch, actually trusting their staff to deliver their work remotely, there’s a long way to go for many..
We commissioned a worldwide survey this year to investigate the true cost of presenteeism on our productivity and happiness.
View the results below:
The results demonstrate that freelancing is a truly liberating way to work and live. You’re in charge of your own destiny, you get to choose the projects you take and have the time to focus on the important things in your life.
But, it can also be a scary prospect. The Hoxby Collective bridges the gap between the supportive team environment that you can find in a traditional workplace and the freedom of choosing your own workstyle. Through digital workspaces (like Slack) we are able to stay connected, support each other through the tough times, celebrate achievements and tap into a network of highly experienced professionals from across the globe.
We believe that flexible working is the future of the global workforce. To find out more, work with us, or join us, click here.
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Katy Kurn is a proud Associate of The Hoxby Collective, who also keeps very busy running her own copywriting and communications business, Showoff Communications. When she’s not writing, she can be found with her head stuck in a book, watching horror movies or cheering on her local football team!