Do Mondays hold the key to a successful workweek? Jeff Hornstein, executive director of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, thinks so. According to Hornstein, bringing his team back to the office on Mondays serves as a powerful catalyst for productivity, shaking off the weekend's lull and aligning their focus.
However, not everyone on his team shared his enthusiasm. Jeff's Program director, found Hornstein's reasoning insufficient, and pointed to research on the historical origins of a traditional office schedule, arguing that requiring employees to physically come into work was an antiquated notion. Eventually, a compromise was struck: in-person meetings would occur every other Monday, albeit with a hint of reluctant acceptance from some team members.
While this trend gains momentum, Monday office attendance still trails behind other weekdays. Recent data from an employee badge scanning system revealed that, although the occupancy rate on the Monday before Memorial Day reached 45% of pre-pandemic levels (up from 41% in 2022), Mondays still are the least attended day of the week for most workers.
Further, a survey conducted by Scoop, a hybrid-workplace software company, indicated that nearly a quarter of companies require Monday attendance, while a vast majority emphasize other weekdays for in-office work. The survey also found that Monday attendance remains lower compared to Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Surveys conducted by Scoop, a hybrid-workplace software company, indicate that nearly a quarter of companies require Monday attendance, while a vast majority emphasize other weekdays for in-office work.
Looking ahead, the evolving economic landscape may prompt employers to enforce stricter office policies, potentially leading to increased Monday mandates. Scoop co-founder Rob Sadow predicts that job security concerns could provide an opportunity for employers to reevaluate their office attendance requirements, potentially shifting from a three-day minimum to a four-day workweek.