New report finds growing demand for flexible working hours
The debate on workplace flexibility is moving from location to time amid shifts in employees' work-life boundaries, according to a new report.
The Owl Labs' State of Hybrid Work 2025 in the United States has revealed that employees are starting to reclaim their time in the wake of growing office-return mandates.
It found that being able to work flexible hours is the most important factor in the working lives of 83% of employees, surpassing location flexibility, which is at 79%.
Flexible working hours also emerged as the top benefit that employees regard as the "most appealing" in a prospective employer.
Not allowing for flexible working hours also emerged as the top reason (37%) why employees would hold back from accepting a job offer.
Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs, said their findings indicate a new era for workplace flexibility.
"Our latest report shows that workplace flexibility has entered a new era: it's no longer just about where we work, but also when," Weishaupt said in a statement.
Blurring work-life boundaries
The demand for flexible working hours comes as employees start to deviate from traditional working days, according to the report.
Nearly a third (30%) of employees said they do not have a clear start or end to their workdays, while 59% said they schedule personal appointments during traditional working hours.
These appointments take up to an hour (28%) or even up to 90 minutes a day (17%), lunch break excluded, according to the report.
The demand also comes amid the rise of office-return policies in many organisations.
According to the report, 63% of employees are now working in-office, a significant difference from employees who are under hybrid (28%) and fully remote (9%) arrangements.
"As employers push for more in-office days, employees are pushing back for control over their time," Weishaupt said. "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."
