Name: Why Friday Has Lost Its Friday Vibe
Uploaded: 2023-09-22T14:11:00Z
Duration: 8 min 14 s
Description: In the post-Covid workplace, where many companies have taken exhaustive steps to create hybrid work schedules, employers and workers are still at odds over how to approach Fridays. WSJ contributor Alexandra Samuel joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss the effect it has on business and morale. Illustration: Giacomo Bagnara

https://www.barrons.com/client

Topics

Memberships

Tools

Customer Service

Network

Newsstand

For Business

For Education

For Advertisers

Account

About Barron's

bolded

unBolded

Under CEO Cristiano Amon, semiconductor company Qualcomm is bringing its technology to multiple industries. This conversation was recorded on May 28, 2025.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20250717/f95245f1-1b2d-453e-a058-30d6a835822a/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Qualcomm CEO Shares the Company's Disruption Strategy

That's according to Okta CEO Todd McKinnon, who also spoke about how the company's name is tied to pilots and why flexibility is a core aspect of Okta's business.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20250710/d3fadd54-0fc6-4961-a2c0-0d858131e3c7/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Why Okta Wants 'Authentication to Disappear'

Dr. Robert Grossman, CEO of NYU Langone Health, which has consistently ranked as one of the best hospitals in the nation. talked about the Trump administration's plans to significantly cut the budget of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

https://m.wsj.net/video/20250715/02e28b09-0b7e-4a48-8227-6dbbb42d9598/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

NYU Langone CEO on NIH Cuts: 'That Takes a Scalpel, Not a Sledgehammer'

Though quality of care is excellent in the U.S., access to care needs to be improved, said Dr. Robert Grossman, CEO of NYU Langone Health, which has consistently ranked as one of the best hospitals in the nation.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20250715/fc3563ea-508b-4d6d-b32a-a77f939c6e5b/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

NYU Langone CEO Says This Can Help the U.S. Government Fix Healthcare

Dr. Robert Grossman, CEO of NYU Langone Health, spoke to At Barron's about how the health system has transformed and changes he made along the way.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20250703/c25a5233-a5a6-48c9-bf10-ea3948ab7d7b/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

How This Massive NYC Health System Changed Its Business Model

"The economic implications for the U.S. are profound," said Greg Case, CEO of Aon.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20250709/57231b7d-6d25-4c2e-ae5c-f0b6a6299196/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Why Aon's CEO Is Betting on GLP-1 and Other Weight-Loss Meds

"It creates opportunity, which is terrific, but it also creates volatility," said Greg Case, CEO of Aon, talking about the connectivity and complexity underpinning today's business environment.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20250709/c5c85274-4515-484f-8cf4-2a6b3056b927/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Why Aon's CEO Thinks Volatility Isn't Going Anywhere

Greg Case, CEO of Aon, explains 4 causes of global volatility the risk manager helps clients navigate.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20250626/65d52c3a-2940-4439-acfa-78e7f53dde15/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

4 Megatrends That Cause Volatility in the World: Aon CEO

Scott Bok, the former board chair of the University of Pennsylvania, breaks down the financial risks and implications that come with removing tax-exempt status from colleges and universities.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20250709/c8469d5c-8f50-48fd-acb8-97f3b510ea21/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Taking Away Tax-Exempt Status: A “Nuclear Weapon Against Universities”

At Barron's

Saira Malik, chief investment officer of Nuveen, makes the case for more gains in 2023.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230925/4d8aa5ee-77aa-4400-884b-1fafeff893ec/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

S&P 4700?

David Bailin, chief investment officer of Citi Global Wealth, offers his take on the latest IPO activity and what it says about the strength of capital markets.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230925/5f4d4a28-d83a-40e3-ad94-28bc25b1c3bc/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

IPOs: Making a Comeback

Chris Harvey, head of equity strategy at Wells Fargo Securities, explains what would make him more bullish on stocks and when he sees a Fed rate cut coming.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230918/1f534ddf-5da9-4d1d-9926-fda63e90468e/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Cuts on the Horizon?

Tom Kennedy, chief investment strategist for J.P. Morgan Global Wealth Management, explains why he thinks concerns around a slowdown in China are overblown.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230918/09304272-5f0c-49df-892a-3a3d4622c9c3/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Evaluating China Risk

Liz Young, head of investment strategy at SoFi, discusses how market moving the August inflation data could be.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230911/50b8c6b4-8fd3-4d6f-adff-dd0a024a57d7/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Inflation in the Spotlight

Lindsey Piegza, chief economist at Stifel, offers her take on the biggest risks to the economy right now.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230911/cac885e4-b322-40f8-876c-ebd443fe9d29/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Assessing Economic Headwinds 

Dan Ives, managing director and senior equity analyst at Wedbush Securities, explains why he thinks Apple will continue to be a market leader.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230905/1a48f030-5a5a-401c-a571-ec9115a0155e/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Prove-me Moment

Ross Mayfield, investment strategy analyst at Baird, highlights bullish catalysts that could drive the market higher between now and year-end.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230905/729974df-4594-4fc6-a385-5457b1d87e32/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Gearing up for a Rally

Matthew Luzzetti, chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank, discusses what’s next for the Federal Reserve and the economy.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230501/7264fcc9-eea9-4d99-b839-4cd4c20500c9/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Recession Ahead 

MarketBrief | Clips

MarketBrief Clips

David Bailin of Citi Global Wealth and Saira Malik of Nuveen debate the probability of a recession and discuss where they’re finding opportunities in equities and fixed income.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230925/a61dd831-40b8-4727-934f-077d2b880711/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Investing in a Slowing Economy 

Take stock of your investments in less than 10 minutes with new show from Barron’s and MarketWatch.

Chris Harvey of Wells Fargo Securities explains why he believes the Federal Reserve is done hiking interest rates while J.P. Morgan Global Wealth Management’s Tom Kennedy makes the case for multi-asset investing.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230918/84e9a4a4-4e50-4b7b-934c-9a532f9803fc/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Rate Hikes in the Rearview?

Lindsey Piegza of Stifel discusses the upside risks for inflation while SoFi’s Liz Young explains why she’s cautious on the market through year-end.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230911/395ecb74-e349-45b0-a6b8-f91b8874aaf8/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Pricing Pressure & Frothy Valuations

Baird’s Ross Mayfield makes the case for a better than expected September for stocks while Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities explains why big tech can rally another 15%.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230905/156bf778-e13d-41ef-b750-55e2ef1c0162/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

September to Remember? 

Kristen Bitterly of Citi Global Wealth Management explains why the strong start to the year is nothing more than a bear market rally while Eric Winograd of AllianceBernstein offers his outlook for the Fed, inflation, and the labor market.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230220/ae07e591-f017-4e82-babb-c80144e7d42f/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Time to be Skeptical?

Anastasia Amoroso of iCapital explains why she thinks the stock market rally is nearing a ceiling while U.S. Bank Wealth Management’s Lisa Erickson discusses where she’s finding investment opportunities in an uncertain environment.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230213/61be15a3-f5ac-4a25-b944-edd15e605e30/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Hitting a Wall

Jack Manley of J.P. Morgan Asset Management explains why now is the time to leg back into risk assets while BlackRock’s Rick Rieder offers his top fixed income opportunities.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230206/0be0daa9-d29a-4350-b277-a9ee6ed9a2ea/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Two Ways to Play

Amid impressive January gains, Cameron Dawson of New Edge Wealth discusses how she’s positioning her portfolio and Mark Zandi of Moody's Analytics explains why he thinks the economy can still avoid a recession.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230130/a8c37d62-592b-4830-9466-65c3824205fe/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Gauging Upside Potential

Mike Schumacher of Wells Fargo Securities explains why he’s nervous about stagflation while Sylvia Jablonski of Defiance Investments offers her top portfolio picks.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230123/1e752a76-b7d4-4802-821a-837d6176f979/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Wall Street’s Biggest Risk

MarketBrief | Full Episodes

MarketBrief Full Episodes

After 10 straight hikes, the central bank switched gears and opted to keep rates steady. But that doesn't mean the Fed's inflation fight is over.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230616/9dce6e5c-4c62-4aa6-b432-d3407ac41aea/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

The Fed's Rate Pause, Explained

A publicly traded company can increase it's number of shares available by splitting its stock. Here's why companies may do it and how it affects investors.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20221115/f37dedad-4403-4f6d-bd22-067d0fb148df/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Stock Splits Are Big This Year. Here's What They Mean for Investors.

Here's why a publicly traded company may decide to go private and what it means for its shareholders.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20221025/9fb3fa20-e2ac-485b-aa4d-8fcf3ebd3151/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

What Happens When a Stock Goes Private?

What Happens When a Public Company Goes Private?

When saving for retirement, there are many different accounts and tax strategies to consider. Here's how to tell if a Roth IRA conversion could be right for you.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20221021/624f992c-db58-4144-93cc-b888c6948059/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

What to Know About Roth IRA Conversions

As recession fears loom, here are three ways investors can prepare and protect their portfolios.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20221020/5d94fa79-7b6d-4c51-8ac7-8c523c99d487/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Preparing Your Portfolio for a Recession

Retiring abroad could lower your cost of living, so you can make your savings go further in your golden years. But a permanent move to a new country could be more complicated than you think. Here's what you should know.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20220823/7a028383-44a0-4957-a070-0018f046ec97/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Thinking Of Retiring Abroad? Here's What to Consider.

Billionaire-backed space companies have made space tourism a reality. How to participate in a potential private-sector space boom.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20220818/99bac587-9be5-48e6-9376-48f3bb8d55cf/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

How To Invest In Space Tourism

When you hear the words 'electric vehicle', you might immediately think 'Tesla'. But as more automakers enter the EV competition, Tesla might have trouble holding its lead. Here's what investors need to know.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20220722/111776c7-d9d2-4cd2-8194-4c58b0cb7e57/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Is Tesla Miles Ahead of Others in the Electric Vehicle Race?

Chinese tech company DiDi Global, which runs a ride-sharing app, has announced it plans to delist from the New York Stock Exchange. Investors are watching and waiting to see what other Chinese giants with U.S. listings, like Alibaba and JD.com, will do. Here's what delisting entails.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20220722/eacf026e-7303-4eb7-80ab-3e2344e2b120/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

What Happens When a Stock Delists?

Barron's Explains

CEO Cristiano Amon has a plan to shrink Qualcomm’s reliance on phones and grow its role in AI, cars, and beyond. Investors are skeptical—should they be?

https://m.wsj.net/video/20241127/99579ccd-a5c1-4acc-ac31-32469f7d8b1c/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

What's Next for Qualcomm?

On the Barron's Streetwise Podcast, Barron’s senior writer Al Root sits down with Jack Hough to discuss Toyota’s recent success with hybrids, the coolest cars at the New York Auto Show, and what’s ahead for Tesla stock.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20240329/f163bbd7-0cb6-4c6f-b7f9-a85ae5cd2553/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Is Electric Vehicle Demand Cooling Off? 

On the Barron’s Streetwise podcast, Rystad Energy’s Alexandre Ramos Peon discusses how U.S. oil producers have boosted profitability and production despite fewer wells.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20240326/0a4b30c7-379c-460f-abc3-838a7f1eb1a9/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

The Outlook for Oil

On the Barron’s Streetwise Podcast, Jack Hough pushes back against one of Bitcoin’s most popular valuation models.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20240318/b38cc34a-5064-4a6a-a47c-4c855de11973/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Bitcoin as 'Digital Gold' 

On the Barron’s Streetwise podcast, Raphael Zagury of Swan Bitcoin shares his bitcoin price model with Associate Editor Jack Hough.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20240312/c0acb0bf-e4e3-46ca-8fd5-13af6fa401e5/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

The $600,000 Case for Bitcoin

Kathy Jones, Chief Fixed Income Strategist at Schwab, says it might not matter. Plus, the outlook for yields and the national debt.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20240305/0505813c-e38b-47cb-ade2-e7c3aff68dbd/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Bond Funds or Individual Bonds?

Brian Niccol on developing new customer favorites, taking menu tips from TikTok, and the outlook for growing the business.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230725/dec91556-4dbe-49e6-85d9-ed0e8233ac02/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Chipotle's CEO on How He Plans to Double the Business. Again.

Jim Farley on competing with Tesla, and why Ford is favoring Level 3 autonomy over full self-driving capability.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230519/9aa4288a-39a1-4fb8-8b9d-3be0c58adc18/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Ford CEO On the Outlook for EVs and Robo Cars

J.P. Morgan Asset Management's David Kelly says inflation is like a rollercoaster: It will come down again.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230505/5d8d3d70-598d-4ee4-a76e-21381c911e40/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Inflation, Attractive Bonds, and Value Abroad

Barron's Streetwise

Stocks are expensive, risks abound, and AI is about to change the world. Other than that, building a calamity-proof retirement portfolio should be a cinch. Tune in as two veteran money managers size up the markets and share their investment ideas.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20250211/17a5e7d6-7c36-44b0-a35e-bf5ac3a24194/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Saving for a Sunny Day

Research shows that people greatly underestimate the healthcare costs they’ll face in retirement. Learn from experts how to estimate those costs, prepare for potential long-term care needs, and manage healthcare expenses in retirement.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20250211/e7c022d9-badf-4e95-8e7c-0b6fce9f7823/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Are You Fiscally Fit?

Surging power demand, new energy sources, and growing competition have spurred the utility industry to become more innovative than ever before. Our panelists will unpack the changes afoot and explore what lies ahead for companies, customers, and investors.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20240917/001ea098-1fcc-4da5-9f0e-a3b149bbb2fb/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Not Your Father's Utility

Modernizing America's grid will take creativity and money -- lots of money. Learn how players across the power sector can achieve their electrification goals and serve new customers without breaking the bank for consumers.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20240917/bd6bd43a-bb07-4b7f-9d1c-6ae04220bea9/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Ready for a Revamp?

The launch this year of Bitcoin ETFs has made it easier for investors to buy and trade the cryptocurrency. But is that a wise move, and if so, how much crypto should you own?

https://m.wsj.net/video/20240529/cbb77f15-ef70-445d-85ae-5f02c24ea1ef/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Investing in Cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin and other digital currencies reside on software networks that aim to revolutionize everything from finance to art. Barron's talks to industry experts about the outlook for blockchain technology and its potential uses.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20240529/8f60a5ea-6de4-4c3c-b7c2-12b11aaa99f3/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Is Crypto Really a Game-Changer?

Persistent inflation means retirement savings don't go as far as they once did. We discuss the best inflation hedges, and how retirees can benefit from higher-for-longer interest rates.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20240429/69577ad6-cbaf-4d34-96f1-c42136e26aa2/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Protecting Your Nest Egg from Rising Prices

The impact of inflation is felt unevenly across the economy and markets. Learn which industries, and companies do best in a “sticky” inflation era, and how fixed income, alternative assets, and gold can help investors hedge against further price growth.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20240429/bfee3cb8-715f-4323-929f-43a73fd58877/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Don’t Trim Your Inflation Hedges

Science, tech, and better healthcare delivery are helping people live longer and improving quality of life. Two healthcare investment experts tell us about some of the most promising developments in medicine, and the companies behind them.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20240305/33bed2b1-bdef-401f-bb72-18f7a43f2548/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Longevity: An Investor's Playbook

Barron's Roundtable

Barron's Advisor The Way Forward

Investing in Tech

Barron's Investing in Tech Clips

A Better Economy & Wealth Gap Events

Wealth Gap

Level Up

Barron's Events

Back to Business

Great Investors

MarketWatch

Video Center - Barron's home

In the post-Covid workplace, where many companies have taken exhaustive steps to create hybrid work schedules, employers and workers are still at odds over how to approach Fridays. WSJ contributor Alexandra Samuel joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss the effect it has on business and morale. Illustration: Giacomo Bagnara

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230922/e148f7ca-94f7-4411-b43f-809fb52192fc/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Why Friday Has Lost Its Friday Vibe

Whalen: Here's Your Money Briefing for Friday, September 22nd. I'm J.R. Whalen for the Wall Street Journal. Nearly everyone looks forward to Friday, but is Friday a workday, a part of the weekend or something in between? Companies and workers can't come to an agreement. Wall Street Journal Contributor, Alexandra Samuel joins me. So Alexandra, there's always been a certain informality to Friday, the acronym TGIF has been in our vocabulary for decades but how did COVID change how we view Friday?

Alexandra: The shift to hybrid really threw Friday into a question mark in a lot of ways. First of all, all of the rituals we had that made Friday special. Things like being able to go home a little early, being able to dress casually, they didn't mean a whole lot once we were already at home and once most of us were living in sweatpants. And part of what happened was Friday stopped being special. And then of course the other thing that happened was that the weekday and the weekend started to bleed together. And one of the big pain points people had in the transition to remote work was finding ways to punctuate their workday, punctuate their work week, and to set boundaries so that they still had time for their personal or family lives.

Whalen: But no matter how you look at Friday, to be sure there are jobs where Friday's role in the work week has never been in question, right?

Alexandra: There are a lot of operations. We depend on running seven days a week, even 24/7. But there is a difference between what we expect as office hours and what we expect as retail hours, emergency service hours. And I think what's really changed since we returned to the office is that it's no longer clear whether office hours run until 5:00 PM on Friday because in an awful lot of businesses, Fridays have become a ghost town day because so many people prefer to work from home on Fridays.

Now, since the lockdown days of the pandemic, companies have gone through great pains to draw up hybrid work schedules for employees. Why is Friday still a day that people can't quite define?

Part of that has to do with the ambiguity that can continues around hybrid work. And one of the places that it's hardest to get people back in the office is on Fridays. It's pretty clear that in organizations that are running on a two or three day week office schedule, Fridays and Mondays to a lesser extent are the days that most people want to work from home. And so that means that in a lot of organizations, even if notionally you have a five day a week office, you can't really expect to find anybody there if you come in on a Friday. And yet there is a sense that maybe you're still expected to be answering your email, taking phone calls and scheduling meetings. It's just kind of hazy.

Whalen: Yeah. So what kind of an effect does this hazy view of Friday have on the office ecosystem?

Alexandra: One is part of a larger challenge. I think we're seeing in organizations now when it comes to the ever widening gulf between people who are in jobs that can be done remotely and people who are in jobs that are intrinsically on site. We have this conversation like the whole world of work has changed, and it certainly has but it's changed for maybe half of the workforce. Half of the workforce is in jobs that absolutely have to be done on site and to some extent those are jobs that skew a little bit towards the bottom of the income ladder, a lot of service roles, blue collar roles. But there are also, you know, doctors and nurses and lots of other folks in professional roles who also need to do their work on site. And what I see in organization after organization is that the people who were working on site, particularly the people who worked on site all through COVID are not super impressed to hear their colleagues who have been working remotely complain about the terrible challenge of having to come into the office two days a week or how awful it is to have to be in the office on Friday. But the other part of it that's really challenging is frankly, from a customer point of view, do I know whether I can get surface on a Friday? Do I know if I can ask my vendors to do something for me on a Friday? That ambiguity is a challenge for everybody.

Whalen: How do workers feel about Fridays?

Alexandra: It's pretty clear that in the universe of people who can work remotely, Friday is the preferred day to work from home. I do see some folks talking about how they actually love the quiet of the Friday office and appreciate the opportunity to have some focused work time in the office because there are fewer interruptions. I mean, that's exactly what so many people like about working remotely. You know, ghost Town Friday in some ways is the best of both worlds for those employees because they get the quiet of home and the amenities of the office.

Whalen: So to solve this confusion, would it be easy enough for companies to just say, "Okay, from this point forward everyone's gonna be working in the office on Fridays?"

Alexandra: Yes, that would absolutely be the easiest answer. If you run an organization that can succeed on the strength of very abundant, low skilled talent. If you have a workforce full of widgets who you can replace with more widgets, by all means, tell them to come into the office whenever you would like. That's not a whole lot of organizations. Most organizations have at least some part of the talent pool where they're competing for employees. And it has very clear at this point that many people regard flexibility and some control over their schedule as a very fundamental factor in whether they're gonna stay in their job, whether they're gonna look for another job, whether they're gonna demand a pay increase. Those are folks who work anew in many cases want Fridays as a work from home day. Now you might say, "Okay, well I'll do that for our engineers, but I'm not gonna do it for anybody else." Well, how does that make the rest of the team feel about the engineers? What does that do for your cohesion as an organization? Given that Friday flexibility is such a desired benefit for so many employees. It really is something where you need to look at a solution across the board because otherwise you're not just affecting the recruitment and retention of the toughest to find employees, you're also affecting the engagement, the motivation, and the cohesion of your whole workforce.

Whalen: So there are a lot of moving parts here. And so to keep the piece, could Friday be a workday, but with its own set of rules, are there examples of how that's been done?

Alexandra: One of the options I shared in my piece for the journal is the idea of thinking of Friday as a kind of half day where it's half in weekend land and half in workday. Given the ambiguity about Fridays and given the scarcity of time for focused work, even when you're working remotely, people talk about all the interruptions from video calls and how hard it is to get to core work that requires more concentration. Friday should be that day. Friday could be a day where we say, "You know what? No meetings, no calls. Fridays are a workday if you need the time, if you need that focused uninterrupted window to get your work done." But if you're somebody who would rather work late on Thursdays, work harder on the other days of the week, maybe Friday is more of a flex day and you take some of that time to do personal errands when it's a little quieter. Maybe you move some of your work to Saturday, because after all, if you're not doing meetings, you know why do I care as your boss, whether you're putting those hours in on a Friday or over the weekend?

Whalen: That's Wall Street Journal Contributor, Alexandra Samuel. And that's it for Your Money Briefing. Today's show is produced by Ariana Aspuru. I'm your host, J.R. Whalen. Our supervising producer is Melony Roy. Aisha Al-Muslim is our development producer. Scott Saloway and Chris Zinsli are our deputy editors. And Philana Patterson is the Wall Street Journal's Head of News Audio. We'll be back with a new show on Monday morning. Thanks for listening.

WSJ's Your Money Briefing podcast is your personal-finance and career checklist. Finance reporters and experts break down complicated money questions every weekday to help you make better decisions about managing your money. 

Why Friday Has Lost Its Friday Vibe

Your Money Briefing

Up Next

At Barron's

View All

MarketBrief Clips

View All

MarketBrief Full Episodes

View All

Barron's Explains

View All

Barron's Streetwise

View All

Barron's Roundtable

View All

Barron's Investing in Tech Clips

View All

Wealth Gap

View All

Level Up

View All

Barron's Events

View All

Back to Business

View All

Great Investors

View All

MarketWatch

View All