Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, the warned that an ever-expanding workweek, which now sometimes extends far into the night, could harm employee well-being.
Microsoft research shows that about a third of white-collar workers have a “third peak” of productivity late at night, based on keyboard activity, according to Nadella, whose company has studied how remote work affects collaboration in an effort to improve its Teams software. Productivity usually peaks before and after lunch, but this third peak demonstrates how remote work has blurred the lines between our work and personal life. Satya Nadella, speaking at the Wharton Future of Work Conference on Thursday, said that managers must establish clear rules and expectations for employees so that they are not compelled to respond to emails late at night.
“We think of productivity in terms of teamwork and production measures, but one of the most essential aspects of productivity is well-being,” he says. “We understand the effects of stress on employees. We need to master soft skills and good old-fashioned management methods so that people’s well-being is protected. I can set the expectation that our employees will receive an email from the CEO over the weekend and will not be obligated to react.”
Two out of three employees who are considering leaving their job believe their employer has not followed through on early epidemic promises to focus on employee mental health, says a Harris Poll commissioned by online counseling company Talkspace.
According to a new survey of Microsoft employees, roughly 30% of them had “work peaks” in the morning, afternoon, and, to a lesser extent, around 10 p.m. According to Microsoft, the typical workday has increased by 46 minutes, or 13%, since the epidemic began, with time spent on after-hours work increasing even faster, by 28%. Workers are increasingly adopting more asynchronous schedules, which do not always align with those of their far-flung colleagues or supervisors, according to the research, reports Bloomberg.
During the pandemic, Microsoft hired around 50,000 people, according to Nadella. People are increasingly seeking more flexibility in where and when they work, especially in the technology sector, he said. According to an ongoing survey of knowledge workers – software programmers, data analysts, and the like – conducted by Future Forum, a research consortium backed by Slack, more than three out of four people want the ability to choose where they work, and 95% want the ability to set their own schedule.
When asked if he sends emails on weekends, Nadella avoided the question, adding, “I am learning every day”.