The 4-day workweek died at some point in the 2020s, and now it’s spread out over 6 days

After years of being the holy grail of hybrid work discussions, the four-day workweek has seemingly vanished, replaced by employees spreading their workweek across six days, according to Owl Labs' 10th annual State of Hybrid Work Report. CEO Frank Weishaupt noted the shift, describing the report as "heavy metal," with job hugging, career minimalism, and strategic "billboarding" surfacing as the main culprits.

Owl Labs popularized the term "coffee badging" for the practice of clocking into the office just long enough to grab a cup of coffee and meet with one's boss before leaving. However, this has evolved into "billboard days," where employees show up to the office on designated days, primarily to be seen by senior leaders or clients, particularly managers.

Nearly half of workers (48%) admit to planning specific in-office days to be seen. The trend of microshifting, or splitting work into smaller sprints throughout the day, has risen, with 74% of employees engaging in some form of work on Sundays, including 21% who describe it as a full or near-full workday. This new reality appears to be a result of workers feeling trapped in their current roles and choosing to prioritize minimizing career risks over seeking new opportunities.