The new 10-to-4: How flexible work is reshaping rush hour and workplace dynamics

"Rush" hour is not what it once was. As more commuters settle into flexible working arrangements, fewer workers are making early morning or early evening commutes than in pre-pandemic traffic patterns. The conventional American 9-to-5 has evolved to 10-to-4, according to INRIX Inc.'s 2023 Global Traffic Scorecard, which was released in June.

This shift in work patterns has not only affected traffic but has also had a significant impact on urban planning and infrastructure development. City planners and transportation authorities are now grappling with the need to adapt to these new commuting habits. Some cities are exploring the possibility of implementing dynamic toll pricing that adjusts based on real-time traffic patterns, rather than fixed peak hours. Additionally, businesses in downtown areas are reassessing their operating hours to cater to the new midday rush, with many restaurants and service providers extending their lunch hours to accommodate the influx of workers during this time.

Midday trips are the new normal. "There is less of a morning commute, less of an evening commute, and much more afternoon activity," stated Bob Pishue, a transportation consultant and report author. "This is more of the new normal." According to the INRIX analysis, there is now a "midday rush hour," with nearly as many trips to and from the office taking place around noon as at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

In addition, commuters have mostly abandoned public transportation. Ridership plummeted during the epidemic and has never fully recovered, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. According to Pishue, this leads to increased traffic congestion during peak midday and evening hours.

"Pre-Covid, the morning rush hour would be a peak, and then the evening peak would be much larger," he remarked, describing two apexes separated by a valley. "Now, there is no valley."

The decline in public transportation usage has raised concerns about the long-term sustainability of these systems. Transit authorities across the country are facing budget shortfalls and are being forced to reconsider their service models. Some cities are experimenting with on-demand microtransit options and partnerships with ride-sharing companies to fill gaps in service and attract riders back to public transit. Meanwhile, environmental advocates worry that the shift towards more personal vehicle use could lead to increased carbon emissions, potentially undermining efforts to combat climate change in urban areas.

Flexibility Enables 'Coffee Badging'

"Employees have become accustomed to the flexibility of working from home and may only come to the office when absolutely necessary," said David Satterwhite, CEO of Chronus, a software startup focused on enhancing employee engagement. "That means they may jump out early to catch a train home, come in late or pop in for one meeting and then leave," Satterwhite told reporters.

According to other recent reports, the practice of working only a few hours per day, sometimes known as "coffee badging," has become commonly acceptable, or at least tolerated.

According to a second 2023 poll conducted by Owl Labs, a videoconferencing equipment manufacturer, more than half (58%) of hybrid employees acknowledged to checking in at the workplace and then swiftly checking out. "We used to call it the jacket-on-the-back-of-the-chair syndrome," explained Lynda Gratton, a management practice professor at London Business School.

Whether a company has a rigorous return-to-work policy or a hybrid timetable, "organizations need to be clear about what the deal is," she added. "An individual employee can decide whether they want the deal or not."

However, given most individuals say they don't want to come into the workplace due of the commute, coffee badging is the least successful sort of compromise. Gratton added. "That is the worst of all worlds, they are still doing the commute but not putting in the hours at the office."

The rise of "coffee badging" and flexible work arrangements has sparked a debate about workplace productivity and company culture. Some experts argue that these practices can lead to a disconnect between employees and their organizations, potentially hampering collaboration and innovation. Others contend that allowing for such flexibility can actually boost productivity by enabling employees to work during their most effective hours. Companies are now faced with the challenge of striking a balance between flexibility and maintaining a cohesive work environment. Many are turning to technology solutions, such as advanced project management tools and virtual collaboration platforms, to ensure that teams remain connected and productive regardless of their physical location.

Employee Burnout Shows

Workers are dealing with employee burnout, which has reduced their level of dedication. Workplace engagement has plateaued after years of steadily increasing.

Only one-third of full- and part-time employees now report being interested in their work and workplace, while about half are disengaged, as evidenced by the surge in "quiet quitting." The remaining 16% are actively disengaged, according to a 2023 Gallup poll issued earlier this year.

According to Gallup, employees who are not engaged or actively disengaged account for nearly $1.9 trillion in lost productivity nationwide. Employees are increasingly prioritizing work/life balance, flexible hours, and mental health support over career advancement, according to other reports. And few want to spend any more time at work than they already do.

According to Owl Labs, if the ability to work from home were removed, 66% of workers would instantly begin looking for a job that gave more flexibility, and the majority of those employees, approximately 39%, would resign.

The growing emphasis on work-life balance and mental health has prompted a reevaluation of traditional workplace benefits and compensation packages. Forward-thinking companies are now offering innovative perks such as unlimited vacation time, mental health days, and stipends for home office equipment. Some organizations are even experimenting with four-day workweeks or implementing "no meeting" days to allow employees more focused work time. These changes reflect a broader shift in how society views the relationship between work and personal life, with many experts predicting that companies that fail to adapt to these new expectations may struggle to attract and retain top talent in the coming years.

"What we need to get to is a clearer description of how is it you are at your most productive, and that requires a senior team who are seeing this as an opportunity to redesign work and not simply responding to what happened during the pandemic," according to Gratton.