Microshifting Trend Gains Ground as Workers Rethink the 9-to-5

Summary:

• A flexible scheduling approach called microshifting is gaining popularity among workers seeking control over their work lives.

• 65% of workers are interested in microshifting as an alternative to the traditional 9-to-5 schedule, according to a recent report.

• Parents and caregivers are especially drawn to microshifting, as it allows for better balance between work and personal responsibilities.

A growing number of workers are experimenting with microshifting, a flexible approach to scheduling that breaks the traditional workday into short, non-linear blocks based on energy levels, responsibilities and productivity.

The trend is gaining traction. In the 2025 State of Hybrid Work report from Owl Labs, 65% of workers said they are interested in microshifting as an alternative to the standard 9-to-5 schedule.

The interest is particularly strong among parents and caregivers, who were about three times more likely to report using or considering the practice than non-caregivers.

“Microshifting appeals to employees not just as a scheduling preference, but as a way to reclaim control over their increasingly fragmented work lives,” Owl Labs CEO Frank Weishaupt told CNBC Make It. He added that many workers are improvising new ways to manage job expectations alongside personal responsibilities.

While the term is new, the behavior is familiar. During the remote work expansion triggered by the pandemic, many employees gained greater autonomy over when and how they completed their work. Microshifting reflects an effort to preserve that flexibility as some companies push for more structure or office time.

For Theresa Robertson, who runs a virtual assistant agency in Maryland, microshifting was essential while she balanced full-time work with long-term caregiving. As long as outcomes were met, she said, rigid hours mattered less than reliability and results.

The approach also mirrors how much of the creator economy already operates. Content creators, freelancers and self-employed workers often organize their days around output rather than clocked hours, working in focused bursts and returning to tasks later in the day or evening.