Chapter 1: The New Office Reality

As my company announces an additional in-office workday, my discontent grows. Previously, our schedule allowed us to work from home on Mondays and Fridays, while being in the office from Tuesday to Thursday. Now, Mondays are back in the office, reverting to the dreaded routine we once endured.

This scenario is not unique to me; it reflects a widespread trend across various sectors. A friend in tech recently expressed similar frustrations, witnessing many organizations reinstate, or never abandon, a full five-day office workweek.

The question arises: why this shift? When Amazon employees queried CEO Andy Jassy about the rationale for mandatory office attendance, he had no concrete data to provide. This lack of evidence is common among leaders promoting this backward movement. Their justifications often lack clarity and measurable outcomes.

What these executives overlook is the essential element that fosters true greatness in a company: the intangible sense of happiness and pride among employees regarding their work. While leadership can establish conducive environments and policies, fostering this feeling cannot be enforced. Ironically, the harder they try to impose it, the more discontent prevails.

Requiring employees to return to an office where they feel disengaged will not rekindle that spirit. Sure, employees will continue to fulfill their duties professionally, but the enthusiasm will be absent.

Numerous studies have explored alternative work schedules, from four 10-hour days to a 32-hour workweek with full pay. Many companies, particularly in Europe, opted to maintain these flexible hours post-experiment, discovering that employee productivity remained intact while happiness surged.

It’s widely accepted that satisfied employees contribute positively to their organizations. A consulting firm's CEO noted in the Society for Human Resource Management that businesses must prioritize the four-day workweek to attract and retain top talent, demonstrating a genuine commitment to employee well-being.

While many organizations claim to promote this balance through various initiatives, the effectiveness of these efforts can vary greatly. Some strategies are genuinely beneficial, while others fall flat. The buzzword "work/life balance" is frequently touted, so let’s delve into what this balance means for office workers.

Consider your morning routine. What time do you rise? How long do you need to prepare for the day ahead? What about your commute? Even if you’re not on the clock yet, the hours before you sit down to work are often consumed by job-related tasks.

A typical office schedule runs from 8 am to 5 pm, including an unpaid hour for lunch, which does not count as "life" in the work/life balance equation. Contrast this with your weekends, which likely offer a different pace. How long does it take to return home?

What does your evening look like? Do family responsibilities—homework, laundry—factor into your "life" balance? Are you involved in any side projects? Between returning home and bedtime, how much time do you carve out for leisure activities and hobbies?

On a typical day, I wake at 5 am and am at my desk by 7 am. I return home by 4:30 pm, adding up to 11.5 hours dedicated to work-related tasks. After unwinding and preparing for the next day, dinner takes about 45 minutes. By 6:15 pm, I’m left with limited time due to my multiple side gigs, driven by the high cost of living in my city. I carve out time to read before bed, but I often find myself stretching that reading time into the night. Despite my efforts, I frequently feel exhausted.

This is the routine of someone without children. My grown kids are now managing their own schedules. I could reclaim some evening hours by cutting back on side gigs, but that would compromise my financial stability. That's my current balance, and while yours may differ, it likely falls short as well.

Working from home grants me an extra two hours each day—time for reading, sleeping, enjoying healthier meals, and engaging in less stressful activities like long walks. That’s my measure of well-being.

Weekends offer a welcome reprieve, yet they often feel insufficient. Traditional mindsets seem unable to grasp this reality, and perhaps they never will.

The older generation tends to view the world through the lens of their past experiences, often overlooking the changing needs of the present workforce.

Many senior executives express satisfaction with their careers and lives, yet a simple search reveals a disconnect with the sentiments of their employees. The reluctance to embrace remote work highlights an outdated perspective on employee morale.

Personally, I’d gladly trade for Amazon’s three-day in-office workweek; however, the rest of us have historically lagged behind tech workers in terms of pay and benefits. I once worked in software development, where the need for accountants is perpetual. Now, I ponder who truly values remote accounting and understands the essence of work/life balance.

This shift marks a regression to a less favorable workweek. Time is being siphoned away, and salary increases are failing to match inflation. We’re reverting to an old-fashioned business model that has seldom benefited entry-level employees. One might assume this approach would be detrimental to business, yet here we are, once again.

Chapter 2: Reflecting on Work-Life Balance