Lucy Bisset, Director of Robert Walters North, comments: “As companies call for staff to spend more time in the office, managers are being forced to walk a tightrope between meeting leadership’s goals and answering staff’s demands for flexibility. This is increasingly leading them to allow staff to ‘quietly’ work from home – without leaders formally signing it off.”
The findings also reveal that only 35% of UK workers believe their company’s current flexible working policy is fit for purpose.
Enter ‘microshifting’ – an emerging flexible working trend which sees the traditional working day split into shorter blocks of time, based around professional’s personal obligations or peak productivity.
“Despite years of debate around flexible working, many organisations still measure commitment by visibility rather than results,” Lucy adds.
“Trends like microshifting will continue to appear as professionals seek flexibility that actually works – instead of policies that look progressive on paper but fail in practice.”
The research shows that 61% of UK workers want their employer to adopt a microshifting approach.
Notably, 40% say it would actually encourage them to increase the number of days they spend in the office each week.
Office days remain a priority for UK companies in 2026. Robert Walters’ Employee Benefits Guide finds that 52% of companies now expect staff in the office for 3 or more days each week.
“Offering flexible hours may feel counterproductive for employers looking to increase office attendance. Yet, a more adaptable schedule, without the pressure of rush hour commutes or staying at their desk all day, could motivate professionals to attend the office more frequently,” says Lucy.
Over two fifths (43%) of the line managers surveyed by Robert Walters thought microshifting could help improve team engagement, while a further 37% said they were open to testing it out.
“Microshifting is a more transparent version of the unofficial flexible working arrangements that already exist in many UK organisations,” Lucy remarks. “For managers and senior leaders, the question is whether it should be governed by trust and outcomes or quietly negotiated between colleagues.”
However, 51% of UK managers remain unsure, worrying that the new way of working could give rise to quiet-quitting and professionals slacking.
“While fears of microshifting fuelling disengagement are justified, the reality is that rigid working patterns are already pushing professionals to seek workarounds,” concludes Lucy.
“Our findings suggest that when expectations are clear and performance is measured by results rather than visibility, microshifting has the potential to increase engagement, accountability, and even time spent in the office.”
