The 34-Hour Workweek?

I just read that the average workweek in the U.S. is now around 34 hours.

Not officially, of course. It’s not on the HR handbook or the timecard… but it’s happening. Quietly. Consistently. Across industries.

And it got me thinking—especially in professional services, where time is currency:

If we’re already seeing a natural drop-off in hours worked… what would happen if we normalized it?

Because here's what we do know:

✅ Firms testing shorter workweeks report equal or higher productivity

✅ Reduced hours often push for greater focus and prioritization—critical in deadline-driven, client-centric environment

✅ Teams with more rest and autonomy are less prone to burnout, turnover, and “performative busyness”

Professional services has long relied on the assumption that more hours = more value. But what if better hours = more value?

Imagine measuring success not just in billables, but in client satisfaction, turnaround time, and innovation (shameless plug for our firm if you want to know how to do this!). 

Imagine making room for deep thinking, not just fast doing.

Maybe the 34-hour week isn’t slacking.

Maybe it’s strategy.

Anyone in client services experimenting with this yet? Would love to hear how it's going 👇