In a context with more remote work and flexible hours, the continuous eight-hour workday has begun to fade and in this new configuration of the work model, largely driven by the pandemic, a new behavior is observed: el third peak of productivity.
A recent study by Microsoft WorkLab showed that a third productivity peak is observed among remote workers before bedtime, a new behavior. Traditionally, the knowledge workforce experienced two peak performance times: before and after lunch.
“Having their children at home, without breaks to eat or exercise, we see that one of the ways to deal with the situation is to take a break, have dinner and then spend time in the evening really getting the job done, “says Mary Czerwinski, manager of Research, Human Understanding and Empathy at Microsoft Research.
This phenomenon is new and the causes are still unknown, but some factors that may influence are the time that workers spend on personal tasks at home, which is compensated for the nights before resting; There is also the possibility that this is linked to the flexibility of hours and the decision of workers to vary their time or the preference to work at a time without so many distractions.
“This peak is different from the two other peaks because it raises the question: ‘Is it about flexibility or is it about work that invades someone’s personal hours? ”asks Shamsi Iqbal, senior researcher on Productivity and Intelligence at Microsoft Research.
The third peak of productivity It is less intense than the other two, but it usually occurs between 10 and 11 at night. According to specialists, it is the consequence of improvised remote work, the lack of work for objectives and a work culture based on availability. However, among the red flags that this behavior may imply, it is an area of opportunity that can be exploited in the design of a new work model.
“When we all went to work from home it was an impressive job mismatch and it was a learning curve in which people managed to reach the productivity peaks. Many people managed to reach these peaks, but without a defined schedule, the schedule came to be adapted according to day-to-day activities ”, says Arleth Leal, founder and CEO of Tutorel.
In this scenario, details the also specialist in Human Resources issues, a feeling was unleashed in the leaders to see people connected all day and on the part of the workers, justify that they are working.
“We all got into the game of having to be texting at night, texting after hours to try to justify that we were really at home working, as if the home office it would have been a benefit and not a pandemic ”, he adds.
For her part, Alejandra Toscano, general director of DNE Consulting, considers that this behavior is due to the new tasks acquired by people from being at home during health emergencies, such as childcare, combined with a sense of availability.
“What has also happened is that the technology It is a medium that allows you to send messages at 10 or 11 at night, sometimes I can even know if you have already read it. But now collaborators do not stop reading or reviewing them. Technology became our guideline and not our ally ”, explains the consultant.
How to turn it into an opportunity?
The nighttime peak productivity it is not entirely negative. Seen from another perspective, it is also a result of the flexibility that allows people to organize their day and work at the time that best suits them. But having three high-performance moments in the day isn’t healthy either because it’s an indicator of work overload, Arleth Leal notes.
In that Microsoft researchers agree, the challenge is that this third peak of productivity do not become a symptom of exhaustion.
“The third peak should be an option available to people who need it, but the challenge going forward is how can we make sure that people are not working 24/7? If people are working on all three peaks, that’s a recipe for the early exhaustion“, explica Shamsi Iqbal.
The researcher believes that it is important to change the organizational culture to be more aware that not all information is urgent and that, in that sense, what is not a priority can wait. In addition, it is important to communicate to people who feel the need to work 24 hours a day to demonstrate their contributions, that it is not a healthy dynamic.
For Alejandra Toscano, it is important that companies not only transition to a scheme of work for objectives, but the results are realistic. In addition, it is important to promote personal goals and life outside the office, since employees who “live to work” tend to extend their working hours.
Arleth Leal believes that organizations should be aware that people do not have to be available 24/7, but it is also necessary for companies to establish the conditions under which it will take place flexibility.
The focus now is not so much on when people are working, or even where, but on how people can work better. “Each person on a team has a different context within which they try to be productive,” explains Mary Czerwinski.
“You have to give everyone the space to do it on their terms. Some of them may have babies, some of them have teenagers, some of them may not have children, but they work better at night. The key is that everyone can be productive, but they must do it in a personalized way and at a time ”, concludes the specialist.
