According to research by global ad agency gyro, and Forbes being always switched on and working outside of our 9 to 5 work hours is having a positive effect on our work and lives.
The research found that mobile technology and the reality of a 24/7 global-economy have eliminated what we once knew as the ‘office’ and ‘working day’.
Often driven by career ambition over fear, the ‘always on’ state of mind better suits their busy lives, wherein a third (32%) of people check their work emails every 1-2 hours and over half (52%) would happily step away from a family occasion (such as a dinner) to deal with a business issue. Despite this they feel in control to be able to enjoy their free time, as only 15% said that they struggle to separate work from valuable personal/family time and 84% feel better prepared and empowered to make highly commercial business decisions due to a welcome and constant stream of information.
The findings demonstrate that people no longer feel rushed to make business decisions within the constraints of ‘9 to5’ and instead value the freedom of flexibility that ‘always on’ allows. With emotion intrinsic to all business decisions, people’s private lives are playing a greater role in decisions at UK Plc. The study shows that:
- Nearly half (49%) cite personal values as an influence in their decision-making
- Almost half (49%) feel more productive and better enabled to perform when blending work with personal time
- Over half (57%) of all business decisions are made at home
- 62% said that they make better business decisions because they have more time to think clearly
Christoph Becker, gyro global chief executive and creative officer, said:
“This research offers our clients valuable insight on when, where and how they can influence the high value decisions made by their customers. 9 to 5 thinking is a thing of the past and this must be reflected in how brands advertise with their customers and clients. Things have moved on and so have old attitudes to advertising.”
Research is highlighted in the infographic below, please note this contains the worldwide stats not just the UK.
