microshifting
[ mahy-kroh-shift-ing ]
What does microshifting mean?
Want to squeeze in a pilates class at noon on Tuesday? Maybe you should do some microshifting.
Microshifting is the practice of employees reshaping their work hours, whether they’re in the office, remote, or hybrid. Rather than sticking to a traditional 9-to-5 schedule, they might log on early or late at night, or break the workday into focused “sprints” that align better with their personal schedules.
This piecemeal approach to tasks allows employees to complete their assignments while also fitting in obligations like childcare, appointments, errands, or workouts. With microshifting, employers aren’t working fewer hours; they’re simply spreading those hours across the day differently, usually in smaller, productive increments.
Microshifting is generally praised for helping workers prioritize their families, health, and personal lives, but critics say it can also make them feel like they’re perpetually logged in.
Where does microshifting come from?
The term microshifting was popularized in the 2025 State of Hybrid Work report from tech company Owl Labs, which found that 65% of employees expressed interest in this flexible approach to work. Owl Labs describes microshifting as “structured flexibility with short, non-linear work blocks matched to your energy, duties, or productivity.”
Although there wasn’t an official name for it yet, the practice of microshifting gained traction during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. At that time, workers were experimenting with flexible schedules, mostly out of necessity. Whether breaking their day into short bursts or adjusting start and end times, this flexibility gave employees bandwidth for pandemic-specific obligations and tasks (like keeping kids occupied during lockdown or sanitizing groceries). After the pandemic, many workers maintained remote or hybrid arrangements, further embedding these flexible habits.
Examples of microshifting
The 9-to-5 is dead. Microshifting is the new way to work—fitting your career around your life, not the other way around. Read why on our blog. ⚡
The microshifting trend is gaining traction as more workers move away from rigid schedules. New data shows 65% of employees are interested in structuring workdays around energy levels and real-life responsibilities rather than fixed hours. The shift is especially popular among parents, caregivers and creators who already work in short, flexible bursts.
Who uses microshifting?
Career coaches, journalists, and productivity experts discuss microshifting on social media and in professional settings, such as at business conferences. In early 2026, the term appeared in mainstream news coverage on sites including Fortune and CNBC.
Remote, hybrid, and self-employed workers may have been practicing microshifting for years before the pandemic without ever labeling it.
NOTE
This is not meant to be a formal definition of microshifting like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of microshifting that will help our users expand their word mastery.
