Wendy Smith is senior manager of research science at Survey Monkey.
Pings, dings and nonstop rings have become the soundtrack of modern work — 24 hours a day. Some 85% of workers receive work emails, messages or calls after hours, and many fear the implications of ignoring them, according to SurveyMonkey research.
But as burnout rises and engagement wanes, a new rhythm of work is emerging, and it’s a quieter one. Instead of celebrating constant connection, employers are putting policies in place to help workers reclaim the balance and the boundaries they need.
Across industries, “silent hours” are becoming a meaningful way to curb digital noise. What began as an experiment in focus is quickly becoming a cultural reset — one that redefines what productivity and ambition look like in the modern workplace.
Silence as a strategy
Several leading companies have formalized silent- or focus-hour policies to help people work with more intention and less interruption, which was identified as the top productivity barrier by 53% of employees, according to Deloitte. In fact, 9-to-5 employees are interrupted every two minutes by meetings, emails and other pings, according to Microsoft.
Enter: silent hours. In practice, these policies often fall into one of two strategic camps: dedicated focus periods each day or week for deep work (no meetings or pings) or structured “no-contact windows” after hours to ensure full employee disconnection and recharge.
The message behind these programs is cultural as much as logistical. Constant communication doesn’t equal productivity, and availability is not the same as value. By normalizing structured focus, organizations signal that concentration and clarity are as essential to performance as responsiveness. Silence, it turns out, can be a powerful productivity tool.
The rise of the boundary era
Curbing the rising tide of digital noise is no small task, but it’s an essential one. While most workers say they have a healthy work-life balance, more than half (55%) report that being “always-on” is the norm at their company, according to SurveyMonkey research. This tension — between being reachable and being respected — is fueling a new kind of boundary era, one that honors sustainable performance over constant vigilance.
Generation Z is leading this shift. Younger workers are twice as likely to believe strong performance within defined hours should be enough for advancement, and many aren’t waiting around for validation. They’re changing jobs when time boundaries aren’t honored, signaling a new expectation for balance, autonomy and trust in the workplace.
Enabling clarity
The very tools that created the “always-on” expectation — Slack, Teams, email — are now adding features like scheduled send and quiet-time settings to help employees unplug without missing out. It’s a telling shift, as technology companies respond to a human craving for more quality time on the clock and off.
But tools alone don’t change culture; leaders do. The organizations making real progress are those normalizing disconnection — through formal “silent hours” or simply through example — and treating it as a sign of professionalism, not disengagement.
For HR leaders, silent hours aren’t about enforcing silence, they’re about enabling clarity and ensuring sustainable performance. Here are a few ways to lead the charge:
- Measure the noise: Use pulse surveys to understand when employees feel most interrupted or least focused.
- Track signs of boundary stress: Regular well-being check-ins help identify friction points early.
- Model quiet time: When leaders pause email after hours, it gives cultural permission for others to do the same.
- Redefine responsiveness: Reward quality outcomes, not immediacy. A faster reply isn’t always the better one.
- Design for depth: Build calendars and workflows that value deep concentration over constant motion.
- Leverage technology intentionally: Use tools that allow scheduled messages or delayed sends to protect focus time.
Ambition, redefined
Silent hours are a tangible expression of a collective desire to trade constant motion for purposeful momentum. Today’s employees remain deeply ambitious: 64% aim for top leadership positions, and that figure jumps to 80% for Gen Z specifically, according to SurveyMonkey research. But their definition of success is evolving. They want careers that align with their values, offer autonomy and respect their boundaries.
If the last decade celebrated the “always-on” hustle, the next will reward sustainable performance and quality outcomes. The companies that learn to get quiet might have the most to say in the long run.
