Just because it seems like everyone is back in the office, it doesn’t mean they are, and it certainly doesn’t mean people are more willing to go to the office than before. The appeal of working on their own terms remains strong enough that they will choose full flexibility over money.
A new FlexJobs survey of more than 8,400 U.S. workers shows that nearly two-thirds of employees are willing to take a pay cut to be able to work remotely despite the ongoing cost of living crisis. 17% of employees said they would be willing to sacrifice up to 20% of their salary, and one in 10 said they would give up more More than 20%.
Even with skyrocketing home prices, flat pay increases in many industries, and most jobs offering no cost-of-living adjustments, 63% of respondents said remote work remains the most important part of their job to them, followed by salary, Work-life balance, and a good boss.
All of this is especially bad news for these workers, given that finding remote work has never been more difficult. More than half of respondents said there were fewer remote-first jobs available on job sites compared to this time last year, while those offering flexible benefits were immediately flocked to by job seekers. Even so, more than half of employees know someone who has quit or plans to quit due to return-to-office rules, FlexJobs found.
“The lack of remote work options is a big reason why people leave their jobs,” Keith Spencer, career expert at FlexJobs, wrote in the report. “Today’s employees take remote work very seriously, and as more companies adopt such policies, Employees are increasingly willing to explore new career opportunities with the flexibility and remote work options they need.”
This is perhaps not surprising. Nearly all respondents said they believed remote working would have a positive impact on their physical and mental health, and there’s ample data to support this. (They are also likely to spend less money and spend more time with loved ones or hobbies when they don’t have to commute.) “Professionals value remote work by eliminating things like the stress of a commute, or the small talk or office hours. There’s less pressure on politics,” Spencer said. wealth.
Mostly located in remote areas with a few offices mixed in
Despite the desire for flexibility, not all employees actually want to work remotely full-time. Only 51% of respondents told FlexJobs they did not want to come into the office at all; 46% said a hybrid arrangement would be their first choice. Only 3% of respondents said they wanted to work in the office five days a week.
Nearly four-fifths (77%) of FlexJobs respondents said they feel more productive at home than at work, almost as an afterthought. Many experts agree with them. “If you put everyone into this forced[office]environment and work side by side, magical results happen,” said Annie Dean, who oversees flexible working at software company Atlassian, during a panel discussion earlier this year. It’s going to come, it’s a stupid thing to do.” Moon. “It feels like magical thinking.”
Now, a wealth of data shows the opposite: Most employees, no matter how they rate themselves, actually perform better when they are in the office, surrounded by colleagues, and under the guidance of mentors. It’s easier, especially for environmental workers, when they can learn new skills and ask questions in person.
But in Dean’s view, even hybrid working is “an illusion of choice”, leaving parties with less flexibility and autonomy than they seek. It takes away many potential worker benefits—such as choosing to live further from a city, picking up your kids from school, or going for a midday run—as well as many company benefits. It effectively brings “all the costs of the old model (but not the efficiencies of the new model)” to the company.
That doesn’t mean some form of mixing isn’t possible—and often practical.As Stanford University economist and remote work expert Nick Bloom explains wealth, Flexible working is best implemented through smart “organized hybrid” planning. Such plans depend on clear expectations, ample room for customization, and, most importantly, team members agreeing that everyone will come to work on the same day, thereby increasing productivity and improving recruitment, retention, and morale. He is looking for.
An organized mix can look like anything – even a 90/10 split. Dropbox CEO Drew Houston recently said wealth His company’s policy of allowing employees to work remotely 90% of the year has been a godsend for employee retention and workplace satisfaction. “You need a different social contract and give up control,” he advises bosses. “But if you trust people and treat them like adults, they will behave like adults. Trust trumps surveillance.” And, he might add, operate remotely through the office.
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