S’pore Businesswoman Says Companies Should Let Staff Work From 10-4 For Greater Productivity & Happiness

Singapore Businesswoman Says Staff That Work From 10-4 Will Be Happier & More Productive

One of the lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic has been the increased focus on workplace happiness and productivity.

With it, more companies and employers have come up with different ways to keep staff happy, like generous gifts and bonuses.

Now, a Singaporean businesswoman has added her two cents by suggesting that companies let their staff work shorter hours as it will make them happier and more productive.

To achieve this, she said that staff should only work from 10am to 4pm instead of the standard 9am to 6pm.

Businesswoman claims people who start work at 9am aren’t productive

On Tuesday (11 Apr), TikTok content creator @thatasianmama shared her thoughts on how employees who work shorter hours of 10am to 4pm are more productive and happier.

@thatasianmama

Oh well… if you are reporting at 830am, change a job. If companies can be more open minded, productivity can increase, happiness index too will increase in within individuals who works in the company. Yes? #sgmummy #womenoftiktok #womenempowerment #momboss #corporatetok #productivity #asianmom #bosstok

♬ Dream Away – Ramol

At the start of the video, the businesswoman stated that she will never “get (her) staff to start work at 9am”.

In her opinion, employees arriving at the office during that time would not get to work immediately anyway.

Instead, they would be getting drinks from the pantry or taking breakfast, she said.

The reason for this, she explained, is that the day has not started for most people at that point.

As such, it would not be productive for both the company and staff to have office hours begin at 9am.

Via the caption, she even advised those who report to work at 8.30am to “change their (your) job(s)”.

Businesswoman says 10-4 is optimum for more productive & happier staff

The OP then went on to say that, as an alternative, she gets her staff to come in to work at 10am instead.

The tradeoff was that they would have to actually start working at that time, instead of taking breakfast like most people would at 9am.

Additionally, she said that she does not ask her employees to work until 6pm.

She explained that this was because people’s brains are usually “fried” by 4pm, seeing as they have been deskbound for six hours by then.

Instead of concentrating on their tasks, their minds would already be elsewhere, like home or wherever they plan to be after work.

The OP also claimed that studies have shown people are no longer productive at this point, although it is unclear exactly which studies she was referring to.

She concluded by saying that she lets her staff start work at 10am and end at 4pm so they can fully focus on work while still having a work-life balance.

“That itself will be more productive for me running a business, and also, my staff will be (happier),” she said.

Netizens ask businesswoman if they can work for her

The OP’s opinions struck a chord with netizens, many of whom heartily agreed with her.

There were even some who unabashedly asked if they can work for her.

Meanwhile, one netizen expressed gratitude for their company, sharing that they too work from 10am to 4pm.

At the same time, there were also those who disagreed with the OP.

One netizen scoffed that employees “might as well not work” with the shorter hours.

Another cast doubt on the viability of shorter office hours, asking the OP if her staff only work five hours each day after deducting one hour for lunch.

In response, the OP insisted that the hours are sufficient to get work done.

Came to conclusion after working long hours previously

Speaking to MS News, the self-employed OP said that she used to work many hours, often late into the night, juggling responsibilities as a financial services manager with a team, running a social media marketing agency and Bump Birth & Beyond — an online antenatal platform for new parents.

Over time, she realised that as much as she worked, she was only the most creative and efficient for about six hours each day.

Things also had to change after she got married and had children, as she found herself wishing for more time to spend with her loved ones. Moreover, she does not have a helper to assist with chores at home.

To implement change, the OP gradually structured her business and work around a six-hour block, picking the 10am to 4pm window.

This allowed her to send her kids to school in the morning, have breakfast with her husband, and squeeze in time for a quick workout, chores or errands on some days.

She then has time to prepare for meetings with clients — up to three, back-to-back — before calling it a day and fetching her children.

Believes a happy employee is a more productive one

The effectiveness of the change taught the OP to recognise the importance of work flexibility, she shared with MS News.

Little things like allowing people to not feel stressed about rushing to work and battling the morning peak hours, giving them more leg time to settle down in the morning and allowing them to go off work couple of hours earlier does make them feel generally happier. I believe a happy employee would potentially equate to a more productive one.

Although work hours are shorter, she emphasised that it doesn’t mean more time to slack off. There’s apparently an understanding that employees have to be hyperfocused throughout the six hours.

With more flexibility and understanding, however, she believes people have the incentive to be more conscientious towards their productivity.

Hours may differ across industries but flexibility is key

Of course, the OP recognises that the 10am to 4pm period may not be ideal for all companies. Some industries may require longer hours by nature, but the management’s flexibility is what makes a difference. To have that, companies must have faith in their employees, the OP stated.

By giving them a reasonable amount of autonomy, to fit work hours around their lives instead of the other way round. Such a work arrangement would possibly be a great boost to employees who are caregivers to elderly parents or young children.

Ultimately, a non-traditional working style requires cooperation from both parties. The OP explained to MS News that employers need to shift their business mindsets and employees should take more ownership of their productivity in order to achieve work-life balance.

Quoting a famous saying, she quipped, “Rome wasn’t built in a day, (it’ll probably take longer to build if it’s based on a 6 hours work day!)”

Employers should prioritise workers’ welfare

Whether a workplace runs from 9 to 6 or 10 to 4, the fact remains that companies and employers should always put staff’s welfare first.

While the OP’s recommendation may not work for all, it is a good reminder to shape working arrangements according to what works best for not only the company but employees too.

Ultimately, work is not the be-all and end-all and happy employees equal a thriving company, so a healthy work culture is always a win-win for all.

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Featured image adapted from @thatasianmama on TikTok.