After 100 YEARS, is the 9-5 working day finally FINISHED?
After 100 YEARS, is the 9-5 working day finally FINISHED?
In this episode of The Working Week with entrepreneur Ben Askins - with 57% of people in full-time employment saying they’d like their working day to start earlier than 9am and finish earlier than 5pm - Ben debates whether the 9-5 still makes sense in 2025.
Ben is joined by Joe Ryle, Director of The 4 Day Week Foundation, which leads the UK's national campaign for a four-day, 32 hour working week, and supports organisations transitioning to a 4 day set-up.
You’ll get Ben’s unfiltered take on the outdated origins of the 8/8/8 rule (8 hours sleep, 8 hours work, and 8 hours play), the truth behind the modern polygamous worker, the gig economy and whether or not he agrees with Tech tycoon Reid Hoffman’s prediction that the traditional 9-5 will become EXTINCT by 2034. You’ll also get Ben’s best advice for employers and businesses when it comes to shift patterns and flexible working hours, and a few laughs along the way!
Whether you’re a full-time employee struggling with the 9-5 grind, you’re a seasoned gig worker, or you run a company in need of a shake up, this one’s for you!
If that sounds like you, hit SUBSCRIBE and we’ll see you in the next episode.
We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with Ben to share your work stories - anonymously or otherwise - and he’ll answer your biggest questions.
Follow Ben:
📸 Instagram: / benaskins.official
🎥 TikTok: / ben.askins
Follow the pod:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theworkingweekpod/
🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theworkingweekpod
Follow The 4 Day Week Foundation:
https://www.instagram.com/4dayweekfoundation?igsh=dWcyODQ1Z2tzd2hn
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:54 100 years on, does working 9-5 still work in the modern age?
03:58 Why the 9-5 workday is outdated
05:00 “If you want to get rich, you should probably get a 9-5 job”
05:57 The Gig Economy & rise of the ‘polygamous’ worker
10:30 The problem of over-employment
13:13 ‘3 on, 3 off’: The graveyard shift
14:22 How ‘chronoworking’ could beat the 3pm slump
17:45 Could a four-day work week be the future?
19:55 Ben’s interview with Joe Ryle, Director of The 4 Day Week Foundation
34:29 Ben predicts what will replace the 9-5 in the future
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for FREE and you’ll have access to weekly episodes 10 hours before they go live on YouTube.
Sign up for Ben’s management course here: https://www.benchmarkmanagement.co/
Credits:
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdjHR9fq/
https://www.tiktok.com/@careercolin/video/7321703258840681774?q=working%209-5&t=1746005010215
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcveSExstxw
https://www.tiktok.com/@ruefromshein/video/7494657839378533662?_r=1&_t=ZN-8vy0i3W00ta
https://www.tiktok.com/@ruefromshein/video/7495826084894641439?_r=1&_t=ZN-8vy0e4jAl9i
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38:43
Is 2025 the HARDEST year EVER to get a job? | The Working Week Show
Is 2025 the HARDEST year EVER to get a job?
In this episode of The Working Week with entrepreneur Ben Askins - With 1.5 million Britons and 7.1 million people in the US hunting for work - Ben tackles the reasons behind why our job market is so brutal right now.
Ben is joined by Shoshanna Davis, also known as The Fairy Job Mother, best known for empowering young people with career, work and job advice.
You’ll get Ben’s unfiltered take on the truth behind the most ridiculous job descriptions, his best advice for job seeker success, his harsh take on poor recruitment etiquette, and a few laughs along the way!
Whether you’re an applicant struggling to land a role, or you run a company or business in need of a recruitment shake up, this one’s for you!
If that sounds like you, hit SUBSCRIBE and we’ll see you in the next episode.
We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with Ben to share your work stories - anonymously or otherwise - and he’ll answer your biggest questions.
Follow Ben:
📸 Instagram: / benaskins.official
🎥 TikTok: / ben.askins
Follow the pod:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theworkingweekpod/
🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theworkingweekpod
Follow Shoshanna (The Fairy Job Mother):
https://www.instagram.com/thefairyjobmother/
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:55 Is the job application process to blame?
03:20 Why so many people are looking for a job
06:13 Why the US has been hit so hard by this
06:40 How politics and global events affect the job market
07:50 “It’s as if they’ve got some free labour out of you”
11:07 “I’m not even getting interviews”
12:22 The worst things that companies are doing
13:14 The worst job descriptions I’ve seen
15:58 Was the job market ever this bad in history?
17:25 Is AI the reason you can’t get a job?
19:00 Ben’s interview with The Fairy Job Mother, Shoshanna Davis
26:36 The best advice for job seekers and recruiters
28:33 Funny work clips of the week
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for FREE and you’ll have access to weekly episodes 10 hours before they go live on YouTube.
Sign up for Ben’s management course here: https://www.benchmarkmanagement.co/
Credits:
https://www.tiktok.com/@itsgoneviral/video/7112501151144168709?q=interview%20fail&t=1745337958212
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqLzb6vbaCs
https://www.tiktok.com/@princesali27/video/7433819204563799327?q=interview%20fail&t=1745337958212
https://www.tiktok.com/@divagirls310/video/7484568073182252318?lang=en
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30:00
Childcare Costs: Is Working EVEN Worth it? | The Working Week Show
With childcare costs soaring, is it even worth it to work?
In this episode of The Working Week with entrepreneur Ben Askins, Ben is joined by the formidable Joeli Brearley. Joeli is best known as the founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, a charity dedicated to addressing the motherhood - and parenthood - penalty. Joeli is also co-host of the ‘To Be A Boy’ podcast, and is credited with influencing the recent £5.2b investment in childcare.
You’ll get Ben’s unfiltered take on the truth behind working to pay for your childcare and family in 2025, along with some sound advice, and a few laughs along the way! Whether you’re a parent struggling to pay for your kids, you’re a grandparent who's been roped in to help look after your grandchildren, or you’re a career-minded person who's quite frankly unsure whether you want to have children at all, this one’s for you.
If that sounds like you, hit FOLLOW and we’ll see you in the next episode.
We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with Ben to share your work stories - anonymously or otherwise - and he’ll answer your biggest questions.
Follow Ben:
📸 Instagram: / benaskins.official
🎥 TikTok: / ben.askins
Follow the pod:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theworkingweekpod/
🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theworkingweekpod
Follow Joeli:
https://www.instagram.com/joelibrearley/
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:50 Are DINKS to blame?
02:45 Low birth rates
03:16 Why are childcare costs so high in 2025?
07:40 3 in 4 mothers say it doesn’t make financial sense for them to work
08:26 Paternity leave often gets overlooked
10:13 What free childcare am I eligible for?
13:00 Are other countries doing childcare support better?
16:35 “I raised 4 kids…we never moaned”
18:00 History: When was childcare support first introduced?
19:43 Ben interviews Joeli Brearley MBE, Founder of Pregnant Then Screwed
27:56 Ben’s final say and advice for businesses
31:31 Funny work clips of the week
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for FREE and you’ll have access to weekly episodes 10 hours before they go live on YouTube.
Sign up for Ben’s management course here: https://www.benchmarkmanagement.co/
Credits:
https://www.tiktok.com/@letravelstyle/video/7314396422806359342?q=dinks%20lifestyle&t=1745236385685
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdFvfqv6/
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdFvH7xM/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt4JMMYVEOg&t=150s
https://www.tiktok.com/@aidancramer/video/7488374903805054230?lang=en
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33:07
The TRUTH About Working From Home | The Working Week Show
Is it really the end of remote working and does working from home really impact productivity?
This episode of The Working Week with entrepreneur Ben Askins brings you Ben’s unfiltered take on the truth behind the Return to Office Mandates coming from all the big businesses in 2025 - and a few laughs along the way. Whether you’re an employee being forced back into the office, you’re a boss considering launching an RTO mandate, or you simply want to strengthen your case to WFH, this one’s for you.
If that sounds like you, hit FOLLOW and we’ll see you in the next episode.
We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with Ben to share your work stories - anonymously or otherwise - and he’ll answer your biggest questions.
Follow Ben:
📸 Instagram: / benaskins.official
🎥 TikTok: / ben.askins
Follow the pod:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theworkingweekpod/
🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theworkingweekpod
Chapters
0:00 Intro
01:08 Return to Office (RTO) Mandates
03:54 The funniest WFH zoom fails
06:04 Is TikTok to blame?
07:50 Could we see a talent exodus?
09:12 “If a Fireman can’t WFH, why should you?”
10:35 “They were short at least 800 desks”
12:46 The latest WFH policy u-turns
15:57 Is Working From Home REALLY such a modern concept?
19:50 A generation “not doing proper work?”
21:20 Should Gen Z work from home?
23:19 Is WFH REALLY to blame for productivity issues?
25:06 Ben’s final say: hybrid working
26:47 The future of flexible working in the UK and US
27:15 Funny work stories of the week
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for FREE and you’ll have access to weekly episodes 10 hours before they go live on YouTube.
Sign up for Ben’s management course here: https://www.benchmarkmanagement.co/
Credits:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZpEpNPaxsw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGOofzZOyl8
https://www.tiktok.com/@swertified/video/7358361929787673861
https://www.instagram.com/kirafonteneau_attorney/reel/DG6sUd7NH-X/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gXSbWXmRPo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkABNmd0BYM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03V6p7EZ6G8
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00276pd/panorama-should-we-still-be-working-from-home
Celebrating the wins and calling out the nonsense. The Working Week with Ben Askins is a show that tackles the highs and lows of the business world. Each week, we dive into a trending topic - whether it’s a workplace challenge, a business struggle, or something just simply going wrong - and we break it down. How did we get here? Why did we get here? And, most importantly, what do we do about it? This is your guide to surviving the workplace - and having a few laughs along the way - with 2x Founder and former Forbes 30u30 entrepreneur Ben Askins - so hit subscribe & we'll see you in the next episode.
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