40% of US digital workers begin their workday before 6 AM, Microsoft report shows

The American workday has stretched far beyond traditional hours, as a staggering 40% of employees in the U.S. begin their digital workday before 6 a.m. and some (29%) are even logging back in to work after 10 p.m., according to Microsoft.

With hybrid and remote models dominant, work now extends into mornings, evenings, and weekends. Microsoft calls this the “infinite workday,” reflecting how boundaries between work and personal time have eroded.

Current State of the Workday and Worker Hours

The Microsoft 2025 Work Trend Index Annual Report points to a widening “capacity gap,” where business demands are outpacing human capability. 

According to the findings, 80% of the global workforce, including both employees and leaders, say they lack the time or energy to finish their work, underscoring widespread exhaustion.

The pressure is further intensified by leadership expectations, with 53% of managers stating that productivity must increase. This demand directly contributes to the capacity gap workers already experience.

The report also reveals that employees are subjected to an average of 275 interruptions each day, which equates to being disrupted once every two minutes during standard 9-to-5 hours. 

These frequent distractions fragment the workday, making it harder to sustain deep focus.

Nearly half of employees (48%) and more than half of leaders (52%) describe their work as chaotic and fragmented. 

This sentiment aligns with the constant interruptions and escalating demands, showing how the very structure of the modern workday is fueling inefficiency, stress, and burnout.