An office meeting
New federal government requirements that employees return to the office, along with moves by several major companies to enforce more strict office attendance rules, have reignited the return-to-office (RTO) debate in recent weeks. Perhaps not surprisingly, the country’s workers are pushing back, according to a new report from MyPerfectResume.
More than half of employees surveyed for the report said they would quit immediately over non-negotiable RTO policies, and an additional 40% indicated they would start looking for a remote job.
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About 45% of workers would prefer to work fully remote, while about one-third favor a hybrid schedule and 22% would choose to work full time on site, the report found. More than two-thirds of those surveyed said they believe flexible work options improve mental health and 73% said they are more productive outside of traditional office settings.
Many employees see RTO mandates as a way for employers to exert control over employees or attribute such policies to a lack of employer trust in remote work. Only 5% of employees surveyed said they believe employers are trying to improve company culture by requiring office attendance. This represents a disconnect between employer narratives about RTO and employee perceptions, said the report.
As new post-pandemic hybrid and remote working norms have emerged, 71% of respondents report the highest job satisfaction when they have a choice to work remotely or on a hybrid schedule. Thirty-four percent said job satisfaction was highest with full-time remote work and 37% said they thrived in a hybrid arrangement.
“While Trump's orders are likely to embolden more companies to mandate RTO, the survey paints a clear picture: workers value flexibility and remote work options now more than ever,” said Jasmine Escalera, career expert at MyPerfectResume. The traditional 9-to-5 office culture may be increasingly at odds with employees’ needs for work-life balance, she said.
"A lot of clients in the private sector have figured out the balance that works for their business. I would expect some minor changes over the next few years with companies adjusting slightly one way or the other,” said Heather Brochin, chair of the Labor & Employment practice at Day Pitney. “However, many companies and employees have come to peace with remote work and are building more structures and hires around it. I do not believe the President's Executive Order on remote work will significantly impact the private sector other than perhaps an influx of workers seeking those very flexible jobs."
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