So-called “hybrid creep” (in which the number of required in-office days gradually increases year over year) and “quiet cracking” (which happens when workers feel stressed and silently burn out while still going through the motions of their jobs) are significantly impacting American workers.
According to Owl Labs’ “State of Hybrid Work Report” — for which the AI-powered video conferencing solutions provider for hybrid organizations surveyed 2,000 full-time knowledge workers in the United States — schedule flexibility, AI, and IT have become increasingly important to workers who are trying to reclaim their time while balancing increasing in-office pressures.
“Workplace flexibility has entered a new era,” Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs, said in a statement. “It’s no longer just about where we work, but also when. As employers push for more in-office days, employees are pushing back for control over their time. Employers should consider how they can provide more flexibility for employees to get work done on their own terms, preserving their overall happiness and satisfaction at work.”
The rise of ‘hybrid creep’
Nearly one-quarter of employers have made formal changes to their remote or hybrid policies in the past year. But for many workers, the shift back to the office is happening more quietly through “hybrid creep.” Today, more than one in four workers (28%) are hybrid, while 9% remain fully remote and 63% are fully in-office. Among hybrid employees, in-office days continue to climb: 34% now go into the office four days a week, up from 32% in 2024 and just 23% in 2023. At 39%, three days in the office is the most prevalent hybrid model. This suggests that even without a sweeping mandate, many employees are experiencing a slow-motion return to the office, Owl Labs officials note.
The number of days employees prefer to work in the office also continues to increase, with 21% of employees now saying they’d like to be there four days a week, up from 17% last year. A quarter of employees (25%) would also prefer to be in-office full time, and 21% would like to be in the office three days a week.
Related: AI is giving HR its ‘time in the sun’
Concerns about “quiet cracking”
“Quiet cracking” is emerging as the newest workplace red flag for office workers, according to Owl Labs, and managers appear to sense the risk. One-third of them are concerned about in-office employees’ satisfaction, and 27% are worried about their teams overworking and burning out. On the other hand, only 26% of employers are concerned about their remote employees’ satisfaction, while 21% are worried about overwork and burnout.
Burnout may be driven by long commutes (averaging 62 minutes a day), rising stress levels (90% of all workers said their work stress levels are the same or worse than last year), and job insecurity (47% of workers are worried about stability) — all of which are fueling widespread disengagement.
What about ‘microshifting’ and AI?
A newer concept gaining some traction is “microshifting,” or structured flexibility with short, non-linear work blocks. According to the report, 65% of workers are interested in the idea. Workers are also rapidly expanding their usage of AI tools, as 80% report having used AI. More than half of employees (51%) even wish they could have an AI avatar sit in on a meeting for them.
All that said, “most employees are staying in their current roles, with 92% not having changed jobs in 2025, but 27% are actively looking,” the report states. “Their top reasons? Better pay (49%), improved work/life balance (48%), and stronger career growth opportunities (44%).”
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