65% of workers say ‘microshifting’ could help with stress and burnout. Here's how you and your employer could benefit from this work-scheduling hack

In Owl Labs’ 2025 State of Hybrid Work report, 65% of workers say they’re interested in microshifting, which it defines as “structured flexibility with short, non-linear work blocks matched to your energy, duties or productivity.” Interest in microshifting had risen to 72% among caregivers (1).

For many employees, the rise of hybrid and remote work during the pandemic has changed expectations around workplace flexibility. More than half (59%) of the Owl Labs survey respondents said they schedule personal appointments during typical work hours, while 38% take up to an hour each day for personal time.

How stress and burnout are impacting the workplace

As some Americans decide to delay retirement to cope with the rising cost of living and longer life expectancy, traditional full-time schedules could be harder to sustain.

About one in four workers (24%) are struggling or burnt out in their current job, according to a recent study of more than 3,000 U.S. adults from USA Today and SurveyMonkey. These workers are reportedly worried about layoffs, inflation and the state of the economy, leading to lower levels of morale, productivity and engagement (2).

This tracks with Owl Labs’ findings, in which nine in 10 employees say they’re stressed at work — and for 39% of them, it’s gotten worse in the past year. Some of their biggest concerns are a lack of career growth (50%), as well as limited flexibility and worries over job stability, which both came in at 47% (1).

This has led to “quiet cracking,” a workplace phenomenon where “employees silently burn out while still going through the motions,” writes Caroline Castrillon for Forbes (3).

“Microshifting could be part of the solution,” Castrillon writes. “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.”

Microshifting could offer a middle ground

Microshifting has the potential to help workers combat burnout and decision fatigue. And while that’s good for overall productivity, it also means they may be able to stay in the workforce longer while simultaneously helping employers retain experienced talent amid labor shortages.

It could also help retain workers who struggle to balance work with caregiving duties. Like Theresa Robertson of Elkridge, Maryland, who has been microshifting for 25 years — long before the practice had a name.

As Robertson explained to CNBC Make It, she juggled work with caregiving for her late husband, who had chronic health issues. That meant scheduling meetings around doctors’s appointments and other caregiving responsibilities, such as managing his medicine (4).

“As long as I got the job done on time and on budget, they weren’t really looking at did I punch a clock to see was I in the building at 7 a.m.,” she told CNBC Make It. “I’ve had so many Zoom meetings in hospital rooms because wherever I go I take my laptop and when I can work, I can work.”

Is microshifting right for you?

Microshifting could be a practical way to protect your mental health, manage caregiving responsibilities and extend your career without a drastic job change. However, microshifting doesn’t offer complete flexibility or reduced hours — it’s more about incremental change.

It’s also important to recognize the drawbacks. Tracey Paxton, clinical director at benefits platform Perkbox, told People Management that many people adopt microshifting as a coping mechanism rather than as a preference or choice (5).