Insight Bite: I work 9 to 5, thank you very much.

Couldn't resist the opportunity to give a nod to Dolly while raising a flag about the "9 to 5" culture.

Insight Bite: August 31, 2026.

Workin' 9 to 5, what a way to make a livin'
Barely gettin' by, it's all takin' and no givin'
They just use your mind and they never give you credit
It's enough to drive you crazy if you let it

-9 to 5 / Dolly Parton

The old formula - working hard during the 9 to 5 would result in a thankless 'job well done'. Work outside those hours? You're a go-getter. Sure, you'd need to pour yourself more than a few cups of ambition but hey, a raise is on the table. 

In addition to more money you would receive more authority, more proof you were moving forward and more exposure in the company (as well as your career). But that formula, flawed as it is, has given way to a new forumla. A formula companies need to be aware of and put some energy into trying to resolve.

'What' needs resolved exactly? The fact that workers are saying  'no thanks' to those expanded opportunities. A recent survey of 13,742 workers found that 58% would reject a promotion if it meant being expected to respond to work messages outside normal hours.

The issue is not ambition. It is the expansion of work into every part of life. If promotions come with unspoken expectations (evening replies, weekend availability, always-on access) employees will start to see advancement as a tradeoff, not a reward.

The opportunity for employers is to define leadership roles more clearly: when availability is required, what can wait and how personal time is protected, values that reflect and prove a flexible work environment. Because the next generation of leaders may not be rejecting responsibility. They may be rejecting a version of leadership that holds no meaning to them.

Read the full story here. (Inc.)

 (Originally sourced from The Workplace Intelligence newsletter)