Four-day weeks, AI assistants and working from anywhere set to transform the future of work, study finds

The traditional 9-to-5 working week could soon be a thing of the past, with AI assistants, four-day weeks and working from anywhere tipped to transform the future of employment.

New research suggests workers are increasingly demanding greater flexibility and control over their careers, with nearly a third believing AI assistants (32%), remote working (30%) and shorter working weeks (29%) will become workplace norms. The survey of 5,750 freelancers and full-time employees across five countries also found that 27% expect employers to value skills over university degrees and job titles. Meanwhile, 26% believe AI fluency will become an essential requirement for getting a job.

And it seems workers are already rethinking the traditional working day. More than half (51%) said their ideal day would start before 9am, while 42% would prefer to finish before 5pm. A whopping 37% want a four-day working week or less, with hours capped at 28.

Friday is the most popular choice for an extended weekend, with 40% wanting their time off to begin then, compared with 19% who would rather have Mondays off. Workers also want to spend less time in meetings, with the average respondent preferring no more than three a day.

The research, conducted by Talker Research for freelance platform Fiverr, suggests traditional employees are increasingly adopting habits associated with self-employment. These include flexible working hours (26%), setting their own daily priorities (23%) and measuring their own performance (22%). AI is also becoming increasingly important, with 74% saying it is important to spend time learning how the technology can improve their workflow. And 71% say they are following through by actually investing time in AI education.

The appetite for independence is striking, too. Fiverr's research found 77% of full-time employees were interested in moving into freelance work, while 67% said they could see freelancing becoming their main source of income within three years. More than four in ten (43%) would even accept a pay cut to become their own boss, with the average willing to sacrifice 24% of their salary.

Fiverr chief human resources officer Sharon Steiner said workers were increasingly attracted by the freedom to choose their projects, pursue their passions and control their working lives. She added that AI could help people improve their work while freeing up time for other ambitions.