Leaving work early? You’re not alone, shorter workdays are becoming the norm

Remember the good old 9-to-5? Well, things are changing. Fast.

A new report says the average American workday is now more like 8 to 4. People are clocking out earlier.

What’s the Deal?

ActivTrak, a workplace analytics company, just dropped their 2025 State of the Workplace report. They looked at data from almost 200,000 employees across hundreds of companies. The results? Pretty interesting.

Turns out, most folks are wrapping up their day around 4:39 p. m. That’s a big shift from just two years ago when people were working until 5:21 p. m.

Think about it. An extra 40 minutes or so of freedom each day. What would you do with it?

Good News All Around?

According to Gabriela Mauch, head of ActivTrak’s Productivity Lab, these shorter workdays are a good sign. We’re finding a balance. Offering flexibility while still getting the work done.

And get this: productivity is actually up! About 2%, the report says. People are working in focused bursts, roughly 24 minutes at a time.

The Busiest and Slowest Times

August and December? Those are the months when people are putting in the most hours. Think post-vacation catch-up in August and that year-end push in December.

February and October? The shortest workdays. Maybe it’s the weather. Maybe it’s just a collective need for a breather.

Remote Workers Win (Again)

Remember all that talk about needing to be in the office to be productive? Turns out, fully remote employees are crushing it. The report says they’re the most productive of the bunch.

Remote-only workers are getting about 29 minutes more done each day compared to other types of workers.

The Takeaway?

The workday is changing. It’s becoming shorter, more flexible. And maybe, just maybe, more human.

What do you think? Are you seeing shorter workdays in your own life? Share your thoughts in the comments!