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United States
Owl Labs’ 9th Annual State of Hybrid Work report breaks down the latest trends, explores how we’re working today, and takes a look at what’s next.
Introduction
Hybrid work has come a long way since our first report, and so have we. Now in its ninth year, this study captures the latest trends shaping how (and where) we work.
This year’s findings reaffirm what we’ve seen over time: hybrid work isn’t a trend — it’s a lasting shift. Employees and employers alike are prioritizing flexibility, often willing to trade compensation or quietly sacrifice productivity to protect it.
Stress levels among workers have risen in the past year, and 68% of working parents are concerned that caregiving responsibilities could impact their job performance. One constant? The value of strong leadership. A supportive manager remains a top workplace factor, with 89% of employees in agreement.
This year’s report also explores how AI is being used across the workplace — with 80% of employees already incorporating it into their jobs — and whether employers are encouraging (or even aware of) this growing trend.
Key Findings
Polyworking is alive and well - 28% of employees have additional jobs or side hustles.
Over half (59%) of workers schedule personal appointments during traditional working hours.
69% of managers believe that working hybrid/remotely has made their team more productive.
80% of employees use or have experimented with AI in their work.
39% of workers say their level of work-related stress has increased since last year.
Nearly 1 in 2 workers (44%) say their employer’s/colleague’s political opinions have made them not want to go to the office.
68% of parents are concerned that their caregiving responsibilities might affect their job performance.
On average, full-time in-office and hybrid workers have a 31-minute commute.
65% of workers are interested in microshifting: structured flexibility with short, non-linear work blocks matched to your energy, duties, or productivity.
Over 1 in 2 workers (51%) would be interested in having an AI avatar replace them in a meeting.
Only 19% of workers said their company isn’t using employee tracking software.
Over a third (37%) of workers admitted that they have posted about their job/employer negatively on social media.
State of affairs
While the way we work underwent a monumental shift in 2020, the past few years have shown steady momentum in the acceptance and adoption of flexible work, with hybrid work having increased year over year. The return-to-office tug-of-war continued, but 73% of workers say their companies haven’t changed their remote or hybrid policies in the past year, which meant many mandates stayed intact.
So, how often are hybrid employees actually heading into the office this year? The majority report going in 3 days (39%) or 4 days (34%) a week — both up from 2024. And if flexible work were taken away? Almost half (40%) of workers would start job hunting, 22% would expect a raise to make up for the lost flexibility, and 5% would flat out quit.
That said, most employees are staying in their current roles, with 92% not having changed jobs in 2025, but 27% are actively looking. Their top reasons? Better pay (49%), improved work/life balance (48%), and stronger career growth opportunities (44%).
What’s trending
We’ve all heard of trends like polyworking and coffee badging, a term first coined in this report a few years back. This year, we asked workers which emerging workplace behaviors they’re actually adopting… and which ones might just be hype.
Turns out, side hustles are still on the rise, with 28% of employees reporting having one. And it’s not just employees: 31% of managers have at least one additional job, compared to 19% of individual contributors.
Coffee badging (showing up at the office just long enough to be seen) continues to gain traction, with 43% of workers already doing it and another 12% planning to try.
Unbossing, taskmasking, hushed hybrid, and more — get to know the trends that could be headed to your workplace next.
Inside employee expectations
So, what really matters to employees right now? Same as last year — compensation still tops the list, with 91% of workers calling it their #1 priority. Right behind that? Surprisingly or not, a supportive manager and solid benefits like health insurance and 401(k)s, both at 89%.
But stress continues to loom large: 9 in 10 employees (90%) say they’re stressed at work, and for 39% of them, it’s gotten worse over the past year. What’s driving the anxiety? The biggest concerns include lack of career growth (50%), limited flexibility (47%), worry over job stability (47%), and having their work activities monitored (47%).
When it comes to benefits that make a new role stand out, flexibility wins again, with 34% wanting flexible hours and 27% eyeing a 4-day workweek.
Cost of working
In this section, we talk compensation — what employees are willing to trade for flexibility, and the hidden costs of work for both sides.
It’s clear that flexibility has real value: many employees are open to giving up part of their salary for the right benefits. The top trade-worthy perks? Better health insurance (73%), more or unlimited vacation (71%), a 4-day workweek (68%), and flexible working hours (65%).
Redefining the rules of work
The rise of hybrid and remote work has reshaped how employees manage their time and define workday boundaries. Expectations around meeting times are shifting — 70% of employees say 8:00 AM or anything before is too early, while 82% prefer meetings to end by 4:00 PM.
Tech at work
In the previous section, we explored how employees are rethinking time — when we work, when we meet, and how today’s workers are drawing new boundaries. Now, we turn our attention to the meeting experience itself — and the growing role technology plays in shaping it.
The modern manager’s role
If there’s one relationship that can define the workplace experience, it’s the one between employees and their managers. As stated earlier, the data shows that having a supportive manager ranks among the most important workplace factors for employees.
Workplace AI + what’s next
AI continues to reshape how we live — and increasingly, how we work. This year, 80% of employees say they’re using AI in the workplace, up from 72% in 2024.
Final Thoughts: The future is flexible — but focused
Across every insight — whether it’s how we manage time, meetings, technology, or teams — one theme remains constant: employees want flexibility, but they also want support, clarity, and connection.
Appendix: Background + Demographics
Owl Labs surveyed 2,000 full-time workers in the United States, ages 18+, at companies with 2+ employees. This survey data was collected in July of 2025 with third-party data and research agency, Vitreous World.