Working more hours no longer equals greater productivity

Time reports that working more does not make you more productive as AI promises to transform jobs and the four-day workweek movement gains steam. Historically long hours mattered in assembly-line work, but in today’s knowledge economy many tasks that fill the day add little value, the piece argues, creating pressure to appear busy rather than to deliver outcomes.

The article cites terms such as “performance punishment” and “quiet promotion” for practices that penalize efficiency, and points to Atlassian’s 2024 State of Teams report finding that 65% of knowledge workers say quick replies matter more than progress on priorities. Asana’s 2025 Anatomy of Work Index reportedly found knowledge workers spend on average 103 hours in unnecessary meetings, 209 hours on duplicative work and 352 hours talking about work each year, with 88% saying they fall behind on time-sensitive projects.

International data show wide variation in hours. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, workers in its 38 member countries average 1,736 hours a year (about 32 hours per week); Peru, Mexico and Costa Rica rank among the highest, while Germany, Denmark and Norway sit near the lowest.

Key Topics

Business, Ai, Four-day Workweek, Atlassian, Asana, Oecd