Idea 12 - The science explaining why flextime will make you happier - Lessons from Patagonia

In the 1970s, Patagonia was a small climbing equipment company which sold just one item of clothing: a rugby shirt they had discovered in Scotland. Most of their team were friends, all keen outdoor enthusiasts who climbed and surfed whenever they could. The founder, Yvon Choinard, has openly admitted that, as he never actually wanted to be a businessman, he never felt constrained by the norms of “normal” business so he just built the company as he wished. Consequently many of the working practices of Patagonia were considered a little unconventional at the time. Among these was his HR policy. As his team, in the early days, were mostly surfers and climbers, he felt a 9-5 schedule just wouldn’t align with their lifestyle.

The original Patagonia rugby shirt circa 1973. Look at those haircuts and moustaches

“A serious surfer doesn’t plan to go surfing next Tuesday at two o’clock. You go surfing when there are waves and the tide and wind are right”. 

So he invented a totally flexible working policy, a policy that would suit his team’s needs. He famously called it  “Let my people go surfing”.

“Remember, work has to be fun. We value employees who live rich and rounded lives. We run a flexible workplace, and we have ever since we were a blacksmith shop that shut down whenever the waves were six feet, hot and glassy. Our policy has always allowed employees to work flexible hours, as long as the work gets done with no negative impacts on others.”

Nowadays, the “let my people go surfing" policy is not just for the surfers at Patagonia; everyone benefits, whether it is to “go bouldering for an afternoon, pursue an education, or get home in time to greet the kids when they climb down from the school bus,” all his staff enjoy a totally flexible schedule.

As long as the work gets done and has no negative impact on others, people can work the working hours they want.

Patagonia is regarded as one of the best employers in the world. They receive 9000 (yes 9000!) applications for every intern position and have a staff turnover of only 4%, way better than the USA average of 57%!

Why a flexible working schedule makes you happier at work

On the surface, it seems obvious why flextime would make you happier; it allows you to have a good work-life balance, and it allows you to pursue your out-of-work activities at a time convenient to you, not your employer.

This is true, but according to the research into happiness in the workplace, the real reason it makes you happy is because you feel in control.

If you feel you are trusted to work where you want, when you want and how you want, you will be happier.

Having a flexible work schedule makes you happy because you feel you have control of your life. If you feel you are in control you are happier; if you don’t you are unhappier.

Work life balance

One of the key drivers of workplace happiness is a feeling that you have autonomy. If you feel you have a say over where you work, when you work and how you work, you will be happier. Conversely, research on shift workers, whose schedules are frequently altered, indicates that feeling a lack of control over your work has a detrimental effect on your well-being.

The return to office debate

One of the reasons companies are struggling to persuade their teams to come back to the office is because employers are perceiving that their autonomy is being taken away. They are feeling that they are losing control. As Malcolm Gladwell said on the Diary of a CEO podcast: If someone had their car keys taken away from them as a teenager, it was devastating. Why? Autonomy was lost. That's how many people feel when their remote work is in jeopardy of being stripped away from them. They feel they are losing their autonomy.

This week’s tip

If you are manager or team leader, look at your work policy. If you don’t have to start at 9am or finish at 5pm, think about giving your team a little control of their own time. It will give them a greater sense of autonomy and make them happier.

Feeling you have control of your work fulfils your human need for autonomy and flexibility.

Extra reading

Let my people go surfing - Amazon link (highly recommended) - my book review

The Return to Office Fight is About Control not Productivity

Consequences of Routine Work Schedule Instability for Worker Health and Wellbeing

Podcast - Malcolm Gladwell on Diary of a CEO

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Next week … We ask the question: will a higher salary make you happier?