Is The 9-5 Workday Dead? (And How to Thrive In The Modern Flexible Workplace)

After 100 YEARS, is the 9-5 working day finally FINISHED?

In this episode of The Working Week with entrepreneur Ben Askins - with 57% of people in full-time employment saying they’d like their working day to start earlier than 9am and finish earlier than 5pm - Ben debates whether the 9-5 still makes sense in 2025.

Ben is joined by Joe Ryle, Director of The 4 Day Week Foundation, which leads the UK's national campaign for a four-day, 32 hour working week, and supports organisations transitioning to a 4 day set-up.

You’ll get Ben’s unfiltered take on the outdated origins of the 8/8/8 rule (8 hours sleep, 8 hours work, and 8 hours play), the truth behind the modern polygamous worker, the gig economy and whether or not he agrees with Tech tycoon Reid Hoffman’s prediction that the traditional 9-5 will become EXTINCT by 2034. You’ll also get Ben’s best advice for employers and businesses when it comes to shift patterns and flexible working hours, and a few laughs along the way!

Whether you’re a full-time employee struggling with the 9-5 grind, you’re a seasoned gig worker, or you run a company in need of a shake up, this one’s for you!

If that sounds like you, hit SUBSCRIBE and we’ll see you in the next episode.

We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with Ben to share your work stories - anonymously or otherwise - and he’ll answer your biggest questions.

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Time Stamps:

0:00 Intro
0:54 100 years on, does working 9-5 still work in the modern age?
03:58 Why the 9-5 workday is outdated
05:00 “If you want to get rich, you should probably get a 9-5 job”
05:57 The Gig Economy & rise of the ‘polygamous’ worker
10:30 The problem of over-employment
13:13 ‘3 on, 3 off’: The graveyard shift
14:22 How ‘Chronoworking’ could beat the 3pm slump
17:55 Could a four-day work week be the future?
19:58 Ben’s interview with Joe Ryle, Director of The 4 Day Week Foundation
34:29 Ben predicts what will replace the 9-5 in the future

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