New Data Shows Millennials Are Working Beyond Normal Business Hours [Infographic]

The proliferation of mobile technology seems to be eroding away at the very notion of “normal business hours.” New data finds that Millennials—the new generation of workers born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s—are highly dedicated to their jobs and often times work well beyond normal business hours.

Some 60% of Millennials say their employers already expect them to be accessible during off hours, while 70% work up to 20 hours or more outside the office each week. Roughly one-half of Millennials surveyed say flexible work hours and the freedom to work from any location would improve their work/life balance.

Yet Millennials remain fiercely independent in their work habits—craving greater freedom and flexibility to work whenever and wherever they feel most productive. This is according to a new study and infographic released by RingCentral that suggests companies must adopt the right tools, policies and procedures to empower this new wave of employees.

“It’s no surprise that Millennials are highly dependent on mobile technology to support flexible and productive work habits,” said RingCentral President, David Berman. “The vast majority seem to expect to use their own devices for work, rather than the company providing it for them. That creates a bit of challenge for companies that have to find a way to deal with BYOD as part of their business phone system.”

The flexibility Millennials crave naturally requires employees to manage their businesses and personal communications separately. At the same time, it is critical for the company to ensure that communications with customers and partners is managed professionally and efficiently. To accommodate this responsibly, companies must formalize a BYOD policy and implement solutions that support a wide range of devices.

“In a global economy where business is conducted around the clock, it’s reassuring to employers that Millennials are so willing to be available on a flexible schedule and use their own devices to do so,” Berman said.

With the rise of flexible work hours on a global scale—30 million workers in the UK will soon be able to ask for flexible work hours—it is more important than ever for companies to accommodate these workers’ changing needs.

“It’s our responsibility as employers to provide [workers] with accessibility, solutions, security and freedom to work how and when it’s best for them and the company,” Berman advised.

The online survey was conducted in early 2014 within the United States by Survey Monkey on behalf of RingCentral. It was completed by individuals age 18-32 from 346 businesses of all sizes.

Originally published Jul 10, 2014, updated Aug 12, 2020