Nearly half of IT requests, approximately 47%, are submitted outside of standard business hours, according to a report from Freshworks. This period, referred to as the ‘ghost shift’, highlights a growing challenge as hybrid workers increasingly rely on IT support before and after traditional 9-5 hours.
Weekend requests account for around 35% of requests made during weekdays, suggesting a significant shift in when support is sought. Most after-hours submissions are routine, primarily involving tasks such as password resets, multi-factor authentication unlocks, and access requests, with escalation rates consistent with daytime levels, ranging from 6-8%.
Despite the volume of requests being similar, staffing levels for IT teams decline during these hours, leading to a typical drop in Service Level Agreement (SLA) resolution rates of 2-5 percentage points. As employees seek quicker responses, many turn to informal channels like Slack, increasing pressure on IT personnel who must manage both formal ticketing channels and instant messaging requests.
“When a critical security patch or login failure occurs at 8pm, an extra hour of delay isn’t just a lag; it’s actually a vulnerability window,” the report states. High-demand periods, such as the end of a business quarter, may lead to surges in ticket volume, peaking at 20% during these busy times.
To meet the needs of after-hours demand without significantly increasing personnel, companies are exploring AI-powered self-service options. Robert Lyons, Chief Technology Officer of Katz Media Group, stated, “We’re not promoting it as, ‘we’re never going to be here for you again.’ It’s just another way to provide another channel to get you assistance faster.”
