The average worker now clocks off an HOUR earlier on a Friday than they did in 2021, study reveals

American workers are now clocking off work an hour earlier on a Friday than they were in 2021, new data has revealed.

The average employee now signs off at 4.03pm on the last day of the working week, according to analysis of 75,000 workers by analytics firm ActivTrak.

This is compared to 5.01pm in 2021, when many people were working from home during the pandemic lockdowns, making it easier for work to blend into evenings. 

Employees are also finishing work earlier across the rest of the week, the research revealed.  

While in 2021, the average worker was signing off after 5.30pm Monday through Thursday, they are now finishing as early as 4.45pm in the early stages of the week.

American workers are now clocking off work an hour earlier on a Friday than they were in 2021, new data has revealed

In the third quarter of 2023, Americans typically clocked off at 5.14pm on a Thursday and 5.11pm on a Wednesday, the research from the workforce analytics firm revealed.

On Mondays, Americans typically left the office or shut their laptops at 4.53pm. But the earliest time was on a Tuesday, when the average worker quit at 4.45pm. 

It comes amid ongoing debate among employers and workers as to the benefits and pitfalls of working from home or hybrid work schedules. 

During the Covid-19 pandemic millions of Americans were forced out of the office due to stay-at-home orders - shifting their office set-ups overnight.

In the years since, some companies have ordered workers back to the office, while others have allowed employees to continue working from home or permitted flexible working schedules.

Wall Street stalwart Jamie Dimon has been one of the biggest critics of the phenomenon.

Last year, he told The Economist he did not see how managers could work from home, adding: 'I don't know how you can be a leader and not be completely accessible to your people.'

Employees are also finishing work earlier across the rest of the week, the research revealed

Some firms have largely ceded Fridays as work-from-home, meaning many Americans see the last day of the working week as a slow transition into the weekend. 

ClassPass, a subscription app that lets members access thousands of gyms, salons and spas, found that Fridays were the most popular day of the week in 2023 for scheduling wellness and beauty services, The Wall Street Journal reported. 

Location technology company TomTom found that early on Friday afternoon is one of the busiest times on the roads in major cities, the outlet reported, as people head out early for weekend trips.

It comes as separate research suggested Americans prepared to work in an office rather than from home or in hybrid role will earn more money.

US firms are paying a premium for employees who will work in the office full-time, new data shows

The average salary advertised for in-office workers has risen 33 percent to $82,037 compared to a year ago, research by ZipRecruiter found. 

By comparison, the average wage of a 'hybrid' employee is just $59,992 - a difference of $22,000. 

Experts say those firms that want staff onsite have to pay them more - to make up for them giving up the comfort of working from home, plus to cover the extra time and cost of commuting. 

Julia Pollak, chief economist based at ZipRecruiter, told the BBC: 'Employers who cannot compete on flexibility will have to compete more aggressively on pay.'

Interestingly, the data shows that hybrid workers were penalized more than fully remote employees who can expect to earn $75,327 per year on average.