Is your IT ticket being lost in the 'ghost shift'? New report finds nearly half of complaints now land after hours

Date:
Thu, 30 Apr 2026 09:19:43 +0000

Description:
Already-stretched IT workers are now facing IT tickets after hours, support requests through improper channels and occasional surges.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter One in two IT requests happen outside of the 9-5, new report claims Despite being spread out, most requests are still routine in nature AI-powered automation and self-service could help plug the gap and reduce downtime Flexible and hybrid working routines have introduced a new challenge for IT departments with workers now putting in a shift before or after the traditional 9-5, many are being left waiting hours before IT picks up their support ticket.

New data from Freshworks has claimed nearly half (47%) of IT requests are now being made outside of standard business hours during what's being called the 'ghost shift', with weekends running at around 35% of weekday levels. Most after-hours requests are routine, the report reveals, including password resets, MFA unlocks and access requests, and escalation rates are no
different to daytime norms of around 6-8%. Article continues below You may like 'They lack the tools to help themselves': IT teams complain minor issues are stopping them from addressing the big problems Better office tech is now more important to UK hybrid workers than a supportive manager AI is
increasing workplace intensity, weekend activity, and multitasking Hybrid working is putting stress on IT teams Although service requests are generally unchanged after-hours, IT team staffing is, which leads to a typical drop in SLA resolution rates of around 2-5 percentage points.

As a result, and with workers wanting quicker responses, many resort to informal channels like Slack for faster help, which only adds further
pressure to IT teams who have to monitor approved ticketing channels and instant messaging platforms for help 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 details.

High-demand times, like end of quarter, also generate a surge in ticket volumes, with spikes as high as 20% during busy periods. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get
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But in an era of automation, all hope is not lost and companies don't need to spend big on human resources to plug the gap. Many are turning to AI-powered self-service to cover after-hours demand.

"We're not promoting it as, 'we're never going to be here for you again' ," Katz Media Group CTO Robert Lyons explained. "It's just another way to
provide another channel to get you assistance faster." Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/is-your-it-ticket-being-lost-in-the-ghost-shift- new-report-finds-nearly-half-of-complaints-now-land-after-hours


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