The Blubber

Conversations about implementing four-day workweeks have faded amid the pandemic, but U.S. workers are now signing off earlier on Fridays, a trend that has persisted.

The pandemic's impact on work habits, such as lighter Friday workloads while remote, has endured. Analysis of sign-off times from approximately 75,000 employees at 816 firms by workplace analytics company ActivTrak reveals a shift in quitting times earlier in the week, particularly noticeable on Fridays.

Sign-off times on Fridays have advanced from about 5 p.m. in early 2021 to approximately 4 p.m. currently. Similarly, sign-offs from Monday to Thursday have moved to around 5 p.m. on average, possibly due to more workers returning to offices and commuting home instead of extending remote work into the evening.

Research from Texas A&M indicates a drop in productivity on Fridays, particularly in the afternoon, regardless of whether employees are working from home or in offices.

To optimize Fridays, companies have tested various strategies, such as prohibiting meetings or offering half-days, assuming that employees will be more focused in the mornings with this incentive. With the majority of companies adopting hybrid work models, Fridays tend to be the quietest days in the office.

Remote workers are also departing for weekend getaways earlier on Fridays, with weekends often spanning three or four days rather than the traditional two.

Overall, the last day of the workweek has evolved from casual Friday to a "staging ground for the weekend," according to The Wall Street Journal's Vanessa Fuhrmans.