Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on FlexJobs.com.
Obtaining work-life balance is one of the main reasons people seek flexible jobs. When dealing with a toxic work environment or burnout symptoms, overworked professionals often turn to jobs with flexible hours and remote work arrangements in search of greater employee well-being.
Additionally, a growing number of professionals are searching for companies with four-day workweeks in the pursuit of improved workplace wellness.
Amid growing debates on remote work and evolving workplace dynamics, FlexJobs surveyed over 3,000 U.S.-based professionals to gain insight into their work experiences.
The survey explored how today’s work landscape is impacting workers’ career choices and perspectives on the future of work, including their health and wellness.
FlexJobs’ 2024 Workforce Wellness Report found that 28% of respondents experience daily pressure to overwork beyond their regular hours.
Another 30% feel pressured to overwork at least weekly (12%) or a few times per month (18%). Consequently, the majority of workers (70%) feel that companies should reconsider the 40-hour workweek.
Majority of Workers Want Shorter Workweeks and Flexible Schedules
While 11% of survey respondents prefer to keep the standard five-day workweek in place, 89% of workers are in favor of compressed schedules and four-day workweeks.
Flexible work preferences among professionals surveyed were as follows:
- 32% prefer to follow a four-day workweek.
- 32% opted for a flexible schedule with the ability to choose their working hours.
- 25% want a performance-based arrangement, where hours are based on goals.
“The findings in FlexJobs’ survey highlight the prevalence of unhealthy ‘hustle culture’ and the pressure to overwork,” said Toni Frana, Lead Career Expert at FlexJobs.
“It’s critical that employers focus on developing organizations that prioritize work-life balance over burnout in order to foster healthier, more productive, and engaged teams heading into 2025,” Frana added.
Overworking and Toxic Bosses Named Top Workplace Stressors
In addition to the 58% of respondents who indicated that they feel pressured to work beyond their regular hours, 80% reported that they have endured a toxic work environment out of fear of losing their jobs.
The top stressors resulting from these toxic workplaces include “excessive workloads” (34%), “toxic bosses” (31%), and “unrealistic expectations from managers” (31%).
Other top stressors workers are experiencing include:
- Job insecurity (29%)
- Work-life boundaries (24%)
- Difficult coworkers (23%)
- Layoffs (23%)
- Changes within the organization (22%)
- Lack of time (21%)
Whether a result of these challenges or a matter of tolerating these stressors in the interest of job safety, more than one-third of respondents reported feeling “stuck” (37%) in their current job. Another 37% feel “frustrated,” while 34% feel “stressed” or “burned out” in their roles.
Notably, these negative workplace feelings rated higher than positive ones, with only 11% of respondents feeling “engaged,” 8% feeling “enthusiastic,” and 7% feeling “excited” in their current roles.
Workers’ Feelings About Their Workplaces
Workers also reported the following feelings about their current work situations:
- Dissatisfied (33%)
- Disengaged (26%)
- Bored (21%)
- Satisfied (17%)
- Indifferent (16%)
- Ambivalent (11%)
- Content (9%)
Workplace Stress Negatively Impacting Sleep and Eating Habits
As a result of workplace stress, nearly three-quarters (72%) of respondents said they have experienced difficulty sleeping or changes to their sleep patterns.
Furthermore, over half (54%) have turned to comfort eating or unhealthy snacking, and 48% have demonstrated irritability or a shortened temper.
Other unhealthy behaviors or coping mechanisms reported as a result of work stress include:
- Procrastination or avoidance of tasks (47%)
- Physical symptoms like headaches (46%)
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions (44%)
- Excessive caffeine consumption (39%)
- Negative self-talk or rumination (38%)
- Isolating oneself from friends and family (32%)
- Increased screen time or reliance on social media (25%)
- Increased alcohol intake (20%)
Remote Work Viewed by Many as a Remedy for Better Mental Health
The shifting priorities of work-life balance in the workforce are also reflected in respondents’ views on paid vacation time and flexible jobs — namely remote and hybrid workplaces.
More than half of respondents (62%) to FlexJobs’ Workforce Wellness Report said they plan to take or have already taken all of their paid vacation time in 2024. Conversely, only 34% have not.
In addition to paid time off, nearly all respondents agreed that remote and hybrid workplaces are the best work arrangements for their mental health:
- 56% said a remote-only environment was best for their mental health.
- 43% agreed that a hybrid workplace, which entails a combination of remote and in-office work, was better for their mental health.
- Only 1% said being in-office full-time and not working remotely at all was best for their mental health.
Moreover, the survey showed that respondents are not only interested in remote work environments but specifically work-from-anywhere jobs that do not entail any geographic or location requirements.
Many Would Sacrifice Pay for Flexibility
Over half (58%) of survey-takers said they would accept a pay cut in exchange for the option to work remotely from anywhere.
Of these respondents, 31% said they would accept a 5% salary decrease, 19% said they were willing to accept a salary cut of up to 10%, and 8% would accept a 20% pay cut in order to work from anywhere.
To secure work-from-anywhere remote job flexibility, workers said they would also exchange:
- Fewer chances for professional development (24%)
- Forgoing company-sponsored health insurance (14%)
- Increases in working hours (14%)
- Retirement-focused company contributions (12%)
- Decreased vacation days (12%)
