A new survey says 74% of US knowledge workers do some work on a typical Sunday. A smart head start on a calmer Monday, or should weekends be strictly off-limits?
Owl Labs, which sells video-conferencing equipment, surveyed 2,000 full-time US knowledge workers, and 21% said their Sunday work amounts to a full or near-full day. Its UK report puts the figure at 68%, though that includes 19% who say they do it only rarely.
What happened
Owl Labs' tenth annual State of Hybrid Work report, released on 22 September, surveyed 2,000 full-time US knowledge workers. It found 74% do some kind of work on a typical Sunday and 21% say it amounts to a full or near-full workday, while 62% say AI has raised how much they are expected to get done in a day. The UK edition reports 68% doing some Sunday work: 14% a full or near-full day, 22% often a few hours, 13% quickly checking messages and 19% rarely. 32% never do.
Why people disagree
Some say an hour of Sunday planning or inbox-clearing takes the dread out of Monday, and that flexible working cuts both ways if people also run errands during work hours. Others say that once most colleagues do it, it stops being optional, quietly stretches the working week and eats into the rest people need, especially when it reflects heavier workloads rather than choice.
What's still unclear
The survey was commissioned by a company selling hybrid-work technology and covers knowledge workers only. The exact question wording isn't published, so "some kind of work" may include a quick glance at email.
Sources
- Fortune: The 4-day workweek died at some point in the 2020s and now it's spread out over 6 days
- Business Wire: Owl Labs' 2026 State of Hybrid Work Report Finds Employees Caught Between Visibility Pressure and AI-Driven Workloads, With Sunday Work Becoming Standard
- Owl Labs: State of Hybrid Work 2026 (UK report)
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