Remote worker claims he can 'crush 8 hours of work in 30 minutes,' sparks debate

Editor's note: This article was originally published on July 29, 2022. It has since been updated.

As more people choose to work from home more than two years after the start of the pandemic, there is rising skepticism regarding the effectiveness of a nine-to-five, five-day workweek schedule. Combined with the "Great Resignation," it has now become harder for companies to attract and retain talent, forcing a growing number of white-collar employers to explore new avenues to make work life more appealing. So far, we've seen this in the form of hybrid work models and the four-day workweek. At the center of it all, driving this shift is the debate of whether workers really need to be working 40 hours a week.

One TikTok user sparked this discussion on the platform when he shared a video in which he claimed that he is able to "crush 8 hours of work in 30 minutes." Rich Alfonso—who goes by @rich_alfonso on the video-sharing platform—grabbed the attention of millions, when he posted a seven-second clip of himself dancing into frame up to his desk. However, it was the text overlay on the video that prompted nearly 3,000 comments under the post, discussing the shift in what an average workday looks like now.

"When the company you work for doesn’t micromanage so you take a 2-hour lunch, mid-day showers and walks for your dumb mental health so you crush 8 hours of work in 30 minutes," the text overlay on the video—which has been viewed over 4.6 million times since being uploaded—reads. Many TikTok users in the comments shared Alfonso's joy in being able to set their own schedules and complete all of their work in a short period of time instead of unnecessarily spreading it out over 8 hours. "I just got a new job like this and it got me shook! So much freedom! Not being micromanaged is so liberating... but also anxiety-inducing lol," wrote mikodotb.

"People really don't understand that it's not about time. It's about completing tasks that your company expects," commented another person. "I wish more companies were like this. At my job, I can do about 8 hours of work in 2, yet I have to work the whole day..." lamented a TikTok user with the username Stratus. "The world would be a much healthier place if jobs realized that it does not take 8 hours to complete your work. Damn near takes an hour," claimed another. "People saying you don’t have enough work have drunk the capitalist kool-aid and it makes me sad. People, this is the life we can aim for," commented Kimberly Paine.

"My company, I love the work-life balance and not being micromanaged. The BEST," shared Yane. "It still feels amazing that I can get my daily work done in less than 4 hours without all the office distractions and BS," wrote Christie. "Literally the place I started doing my placement at last week. I can work from home/go to the office, take breaks or walks when I want. And everyone is nice," revealed Jay. "Is that what's happening to me? I'm happy and regular and I'm done with 8 hours of work in 30-40 min," remarked Brandon.