"If you haven’t played hooky, have you truly lived? In high school, skipping school for a beach day with friends was all about the thrill of it. We needed a break from school lunches and mundane schedules, and even though it was definitely against the rules, it wasn’t that serious. As adults, the stakes are higher. Playing hooky at work isn’t something employees do for fun, but rather to get the break they so desperately need. With remote work environments, it’s almost too easy to do, particularly on Fridays, when no one is paying attention to whether or not you’re working or just moving your mouse. These unofficial personal days have become so common that they have been dubbed “Sneaky Fridays.”
I feel the need to say that I don’t condone this (my manager is reading this), but I get it. More than ever, employees are busting their asses to keep their jobs. They are working hard to prove that they are worthy of a raise even though budgets are tight. Since teams are lean and many are working hybrid roles (read: doing two to three jobs at once), they are working around the clock to meet deadlines. They are stressed, yet they don’t feel like they can ask for a day off. The only solution? Taking the day off and telling no one.
Obviously, this has its consequences and isn’t the healthiest way to manage stress. But is it the only way to get a break? Is it OK if all your work is done? What does this mean for trust in the workplace? Let’s talk about it.
“Slacking off” on Friday isn’t new
Between casual Fridays, summer Fridays, no-meeting Fridays, and Friday happy hours, enjoying a more laid-back work environment at the end of the week isn’t new. In an office setting especially, you take longer lunches, chat longer at the water cooler, and usually clock out early as a team. Why would you twiddle your thumbs at your desk just to abide by a time clock if your work is done? As a whole, Fridays like these provide a much-needed break, help with team bonding, and keep morale high.
Remote workers are held to completely different productivity standards. There is no excuse for clocking out early—there is no pizza party. But the same question stands: Why would you sit at your desk if your work is done? Where is your break? It’s a double standard that many remote workers don’t want to put up with anymore. So, they have been taking it into their own hands with Sneaky Fridays. Now, there is a difference between your boss saying, “Let’s get out of here early today,” and silently checking out on your own. But being present on a Friday, especially on a Friday afternoon, when office employees are busy letting their hair down, isn’t necessarily fair.
Remote workers are getting smarter about how they use their time
Less-than-productive Fridays aside, traditional 9-5 schedules have been getting pushback for quite some time. They don’t take into account when and how individuals work best, and they leave little to no time for personal responsibilities and appointments. If you’ve spent any amount of time on TikTok, you’ll have seen at least a dozen “My 5-9 before my 9-5” (or the opposite) videos. In a small window of time, they cram in workouts, showers, appointments, reading, laundry, self-care, time with friends, meal-prepping, and more. The only way to keep up, take care of yourself, and nurture your relationships is if you get up before the sun does or stay up late. It’s no wonder why everyone is exhausted by Friday.
With this in mind, remote workers are getting smarter with their time. They are working longer hours Monday through Thursday, and they are using Fridays as the personal day they feel they deserve. According to Elite Recruiter, platforms like Open Table and Zocdoc have seen a spike in Friday activity. The 9-5 grind is tough, and in stressful, busy work environments, employees are doing what they can to manage it all and create time for self-care.
Managing burnout is being prioritized over impressing management
Everyone I know who has gotten laid off in the last few years has been valued in their workplace and deserving of their role. They’ve gone above and beyond, sacrificed their personal life and relationships to prove themselves, and done it all knowing they were being overworked and underpaid. If the most hard-working people we know still can’t keep their jobs, what are we doing busting our asses and making ourselves miserable? Elite recruiter shares that self-care is being prioritized as a result.
A survey done by Visier revealed that 89 percent of employees have experienced burnout, but that 53 percent of women aren’t comfortable talking about it with their managers over fears they’ll seem incapable of doing their job. Employees don’t feel like their jobs are safe, yet they don’t have it in them to hustle harder. On top of all that, they don’t talk about it, which only leads to resentment and communication issues in the workplace. Sneaky Fridays are helping employees bridge the gap between keeping their jobs and not losing their minds.
The “trust gap” is widening as a result
Employers are catching on—fast. With return-to-office mandates, Fridays are becoming mandatory in some workplaces (L’Oreal, we are shocked) to promote “collaboration.” And look, I’m not saying that reasoning isn’t justified (as a remote worker, I’d love more in-person collaboration!), but I think the bigger piece of it has to do with making sure employees are actually working.
This sucks for those who get their work done with no issues at home and those who need the flexibility for a variety of reasons (like childcare, frequent medical appointments, long commutes, or burnout). What’s worse than not being trusted when you’re doing nothing wrong? I can hear everyone saying, “It only takes one person to ruin it for the rest of us,” but at the same time, I get it. Taking an unofficial personal day, even if you feel it’s justified, isn’t exactly allowed, and it will backfire.
This debate is polarizing for managers and employees alike. Multiple commenters on Elite Recruiter’s video are saying, “Let people live!!” while others explain that this has never been possible for them. This varies by industry, but overall, there is a disconnect between who is working and who isn’t on Fridays. So, if you think your return-to-office mandate is coming out of nowhere, think again. Between productivity being down and people quietly sneaking away on Fridays, it’s no wonder we are seeing more people commuting to their cubicles.
So, what should you do?
I know you’re not going to want to hear this, but talking to people about how you are feeling is one of the best ways to get a handle on your work-induced stress. In my experience, we don’t give our managers enough credit; don’t be so quick to assume that admitting your workload is overwhelming will make you look bad. Most often, they will be glad you came to them. The better you feel about your work, the better work you’ll do. In addition to this, it helps to talk to coworkers and friends about how they find work-life balance. Do they use their lunch break to go for a long walk around their neighborhood? Do they have a wind-down ritual after work?
If you feel like your existing role might never feel manageable, why not look around for other jobs? Update your resume and search for jobs with companies that directly promote work-life balance. Maybe they offer wellness perks, or they pay for your health care. All of these things add up to making your work life more doable, so by the time Friday rolls around, you don’t feel the need to sneak away.
Hailey Bouche, Associate Editor
As an Associate Editor for The Everygirl, Hailey Bouche oversees, writes, and edits content across various categories on the site. From the pitching stage through publishing, she works alongside the team to ensure that the content that our readers see every day is inspiring, relatable, and timely.