Executives and leadership: Don't be taken aback if your team's output isn't quite at its usual level—daylight saving time is approaching.
TL;DR
- Daylight saving time ending soon may decrease team concentration and productivity.
- The time change, despite calls for elimination, interferes with internal biological rhythms.
- Experts advise adapting quickly, seeking natural light, and offering workplace flexibility.
- Legislation to make daylight saving time permanent has not yet been enacted.
With autumn's arrival and the air turning cooler, the United States is just a couple of weeks from the time change when clocks are adjusted “fall back,”, granting us an additional hour of rest (although studies indicate that the majority of us actually lose sleep).
Daylight saving time will end for the year on Sunday, November 2nd.
However, this transition will do more than just adjust timepieces. It also interferes with our internal mechanisms that regulate concentration and output.
Clock changes might make it slightly more difficult for employees to focus.
“Changes in sleep schedules can have a big impact on our ability to concentrate or perform at peak levels, even when we feel like we’re gaining an hour to sleep in,” Qualtrics’ Chief Workplace Psychologist Dr. Benjamin Granger tells Coins2Day.
“For the first few days, don’t be surprised if you find it a little harder to concentrate or think clearly. This might lead to a slight dip in productivity but don’t panic,” he added.
Despite President Trump's have been calls to abolish the clock change, it remains in effect in most states. Originally introduced to conserve energy during World War I and WWII, it's now questioned for its effects on public health and safety.
To cope with the effects of daylight saving, Granger has tips to make the workplace more pleasant.
How to minimize the effects of setting the clock back
- Adapt as soon as possible
“The good news is people—and our brains—are very adaptable. While we can’t re-set the clocks in our brains as quickly as our watches, it usually doesn’t take long for natural rhythms to align. Settle into your new routine as soon as possible and stick with it even on the weekends,” Granger said.
- Get lots of natural light
“Where possible, lots of natural light, or at least less harsh fluorescent lighting, can help workers adjust quickly,” he added. “Good office lighting will be especially helpful with earlier sunsets also.”
- Be flexible with workers
“If it’s possible, this is a good opportunity to provide a bit more flexibility for workers and their families when it comes to their schedules. Although it may seem like a minor change, even just an hour change can be disruptive in the short term, especially for parents of small children,” Granger said.
Daylight saving is here to stay (for now)
Despite congressional attempts to halt the semiannual time adjustment, the proposed legislation has not been enacted. The U.S. Senate gave its unanimous approval to the Sunshine Protection Act in March 2022, a bill designed to establish permanent daylight saving time. However, this initiative faltered in the House of Representatives due to a lack of agreement among legislators.
During March 2025, ex-President Donald Trump commented that the matter was split: “This ought to be the simplest one, but it's a 50-50 issue… Many people prefer it one way, and many people prefer it the other,” he stated to Reuters.
In April 2025, Trump tweeted that "The House and Senate should push hard for More Daylight at the end of a day. Very popular and, most importantly, no more changing of the clocks, a big inconvenience and, for our government, A VERY COSTLY EVENT!!!" Coins2Day sought additional remarks from The White House.
Despite these efforts, daylight saving time is still here to stay.