Is “Microshifting” the Future of Work?

Owl Labs first coined the term in their report. They characterized microshifting as a way for employees to “work in short, non-linear blocks based on personal energy, responsibilities, or productivity patterns.” 1

A day in the life of a working mom who microshifts might look like this:

• Get up at 6:00 AM to check company emails and work for an hour
• Prepare breakfast and take the kids to school
• Return home and work from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
• Have a quick lunch, go grocery shopping, and pick up the kids
• Work for another few hours before making dinner
• Finish the last bit of work after putting the kids to bed at 9:30 PM

Of course, a microshifter’s exact schedule will depend on their role and personal commitments.

Not all microshifters are remote workers—many still have to go to the office—but the idea is that they can still tackle their responsibilities in short, concentrated bursts while tending to their personal obligations in between.

The rise of microshifting

Microshifting gained momentum during the pandemic when many people were forced to work from home. 2

While it was hard for some to separate their work and personal lives, others felt they had greater control over their working hours and didn’t have to push non-work duties to the fringes of their days.

After the pandemic, many employees had to return to the office and resume following a structured 9-to-5 schedule. 3 The interest in microshifting suggests that workers are longing for a time when they could more freely dictate when and how they worked.

A 2025 survey from Deputy, a workforce management platform, shows that microshifting isn’t just popular among knowledge workers. Many in the service sector, particularly Gen Zers, also prefer shorter shifts, which give them more autonomy over their schedules.

While reports show that workers are enthusiastic about microshifting, there isn’t reliable data on exactly how many are participating, as the trend is fairly new.

From those who have spoken about this to news outlets, it seems like most microshifters are knowledge workers, and many are self-employed or in management positions. 4 5

Some people who prefer traditional schedules might assume that the trend toward microshifting is a sign that workers are disorganized or lazy. However, many would-be microshifters are doing their best to balance their competing responsibilities.

Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs, told CNBC Make It that employees are trying to “reconcile the demands of their jobs with the realities of their lives.”

“Microshifting appeals to employees not just as a scheduling preference, but as a way to reclaim control over their increasingly fragmented work lives,” he said.

Caregiving responsibilities

Unsurprisingly, caregivers, who often have to pivot between competing demands, are nearly three times more likely to try microshifting than non-caregivers, according to the Owl Labs report. 1

In the CNBC Make It article, Theresa Robertson, who previously worked as a project manager and had to care for her late husband with chronic health issues for 25 years, said that microshifting allowed her to manage her hectic schedule. 4 She was able to squeeze in small caregiving tasks, such as checking her husband’s blood pressure and preparing meals for him, without needing to take a half-day off.

“To me, it was just making sure I didn’t lose my job,” she said. “I had to take care of my husband, and I had to work, so I had to figure it out.”

Robertson isn’t alone. The Owl Labs report found that 68% of parents worry their childcare responsibilities might affect their job performance. 1 The anxiety is particularly intense for those who work in the office full-time (as compared with their remote and hybrid counterparts). 6

Microshifting can be a way for caregivers to juggle both worlds without sacrificing productivity or feeling like they’re constantly falling short in one or the other.

The prevalence of polyworking

A 2024 SideHustles.com report found that nearly 25% of American employees are polyworkers—people who balance multiple jobs or side gigs to boost their income or sharpen their skills.

The trend is still going strong in 2026. According to the Owl Labs report, 28% of employees have at least one side hustle. 1 Among them, managers (31%) are more likely than individual contributors (19%) to have a second job. 1

Traditional hybrid and remote work already offer polyworkers more flexibility to manage multiple jobs, but microshifting takes it to the next level. Workers who microshift can not only decide where they work but also when they work.

Fighting burnout

For many Americans, the daily grind is slowly eating away at their mental health. 1 In a recent joint study by USA TODAY and SurveyMonkey, 25% of workers reported struggling or feeling burnt out in their current jobs.

Employees cite a lack of flexibility and work-life balance as a top concern. 1 7 Workplace stress can lead to “quiet cracking,” a phenomenon where “employees silently burn out while still going through the motions,” according to Caroline Castrillon, a career coach and writer for Forbes.

“Microshifting could be part of the solution,” she wrote. “By allowing employees to step away when they need to recharge and return when they’re ready to focus, companies can prevent burnout before it becomes a crisis.”

The most challenging aspect of microshifting is that it can make it difficult to draw clear boundaries between work and personal life.

Labor experts say that flexible, non-linear schedules can inadvertently create an “always-on” work culture, where employees feel the pressure to be on call for 14 or more waking hours. 8

Isabelle Young, a political organizer, told the Associated Press that while microshifting helps her manage her autism and a chronic illness, she sometimes feels like she’s “never really off the clock,” as the job never truly ends.

Moreover, the constant toggle between tasks can create a “mental tax” that stifles productivity and leads to forgetfulness, according to News Medical.

Some microshifters find it helpful to set their statuses to unavailable on communication apps like Slack or Teams, or to turn off work notifications to get a clean break from job-related messages during personal time. Grouping similar tasks can also make microshifting more organized and less chaotic. 9

Whether companies like it or not, many employees are embracing microshifting.

The Owl Labs report found that 51% of employees schedule personal appointments during typical working hours, and 38% take an hour of personal time each day. 1

In addition, 35% of workers said they would resign for a microshifting-friendly role, even if it meant switching fields, according to SHRM, the world’s largest HR management professional association.

To evolve with this trend and meet employees where they are, many companies are using the following strategies:

Setting clear collaboration hours

Paul DeMott, the chief technology officer at the digital marketing agency Helium SEO, told Indeed that his team members must agree on standard response times during business hours and carve out a daily 4-hour window for essential meetings and collaborative coding.

“Outside that window, I’m actively encouraging my team members to shift their deep work time to whenever they feel that they are most productive, whether it’s early morning or late evening.”

These two rules ensure his employees can meet their deadlines and maintain a consistent output without being tied to a strict work schedule.

Focusing on output rather than presence

Microshifting requires employers to have a lot of trust in their employees and foster “a strong culture of accountability, good management, and feedback,” Weishaupt told Indeed.

“This means that managers should make it a point to have clear conversations with their employees about deadlines, when the work is getting done, and set expectations.”

Owl Labs suggested this is more effective than requiring people to show up in person or monitor their work activities with tracking software, which often causes stress in the workplace. 1

Making sure non-microshifters aren’t left behind

Microshifting isn’t for everyone. Despite its benefits, many people still prefer regular work hours.

This means that managers who allow microshifting must ensure that workers who adopt it aren’t slacking on the job and that their non-linear schedules don’t affect the team’s workflow. Otherwise, resentment may build among those who choose not to participate.

When it’s executed well, microshifting can boost employee morale and productivity. As Indeed’s 2025 Work Wellbeing Report shows, workers who are happy, stress-free, and purposeful are 50% more likely to reach their targets than their less satisfied peers. It’s a win-win situation for both the employee and the company.