What is microshifting? Can it help make us more productive at work?

A new trend is gaining favour with employees.

While many in India continue to adhere to the 9 to 5 work day and many offices have gone back to mandating their employees return,
others continue to offer remote and hybrid models in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now, microshifting, as it is known, is becoming increasingly popular with employees. According to a new report, a study of over 2,000
workers in the US showed that a majority of them were interested in this phenomenon.

But what is microshifting? Can it help make us more productive at work?

Let’s take a closer look.

What is it?

Rather than focus on the traditional method of working while spending the entire day in the office, employees ought to work wherever and whenever inspiration strikes. This can include working from home, while on their commute back, at a park or even a coffee shop.

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For those working from home, employees can take a break and run some errands – for example, clearing out your inbox or mailbox,
picking up the kids from schools, going for a swim, working out or even taking a walk – before getting back to the task at hand. It basically entails syncing your work day to your everyday routine and energy levels. This makes sense given the increasing importance we pay to work-life balance.

What does the survey show?

Owl Labs, a video conference tech firm, in its survey found that around 65 per cent of workers were intrigued by this trend, which it described as “structured flexibility with short, non-linear work blocks matched to your energy, duties or productivity.”
Interestingly, the report said that managers are three times more likely to employ microshifting than workers. It also stated that 69 per cent of managers say hybrid or remote work has increased the efficiency of their teams.

Caregivers are three times more likely to prefer it than non-caregivers. The survey showed that 62 per cent of parents said that the 9 to 5 workday makes things difficult. Meanwhile, 68 per cent of parents said caring for their children might negatively impact their performance at work.

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This worry was noticeably more prominent in full-time in-office employees (71 per cent) over remote workers (48 per cent). Another 59 per cent of employees said they are already running personal errands during the workday.

Unsurprisingly, Gen Z and millennials were the most interested in this trend with almost 7 in 10 expressing a preference for it. Which also makes sense given that many Gen Z, who also have to balance caring for their parents, are in service industries. One in five employees already has side gigs to pay the bills.

The research found that most employees said they were willing to give up nearly 10 per cent of their salary to avail of flexible working hours. Employees said they would give up 8 per cent of their total income for a four-day workweek.

The report also found that 63 per cent of employees were now working full-time in the office and hybrid workers were spending more time in the office. It showed that 34 per cent of hybrid workers went to the office four times per week compared to 23 per cent in 2023.

Can it make us more productive at work?

“Microshifting is a great way for employees to balance their personal responsibilities alongside work,” Kickresume cofounder and CEO Peter Duris told Fast Company. “If you have the option to work microshifts, it could be worth discussing with your manager. This may be especially game-changing for parents or carers.”

Research has shown that working in bursts tends to aid attention span and productivity. It also prevents cognitive fatigue and helps maintain energy levels. Experts say employees who spend time at work aren’t necessarily being productive. They say microshifting makes sense for those who work via laptop and have access to high-speed internet.

“Workplaces aren’t as rigid and structured as they once were,” Duris added. “Flexibility is one of the most common and sought-after
perks in a job, whether that’s having the option to work from home or working flexible hours.”

Duris advises employees to “be clear and transparent” with their bosses. “Complete your high-priority tasks during your most productive hours,” he added. “It may be helpful to use a digital scheduling tool to manage your working blocks and personal responsibilities.”

He also offered advice to managers.

“When employees work outside of typical hours, it’s important to schedule core working hours for the whole team,” Duris said. “Make sure to check in with your team regularly to see how they’re managing their workload and personal responsibilities.”
However, studies show that those using microshifting end up having to work more hours per day. The consensus is that microshifting usually adds a couple of hours to the average work day.

So, next time you’re microshifting and you get a late night email from your boss? Don’t turn your phone off.

With inputs from agencies