Disney employees are fighting return to office mandates, and many other workers around the country are less than satisfied with their company’s policy to get them back into the office.
To find out they are feeling about returning to the office, in February, ResumeBuilder.com surveyed 1,000 U.S. workers who are currently employed full-time and are required to work at least one day a week out of an office.
Key findings:
- 62% of workers are required to go into the office five days a week
- 37% of workers would prefer to work less frequently from the office; half of this group want to work fully remotely
- 29% of workers who want to WFH more will quit this year if the policy doesn’t change; 22% say they would take a salary cut to WFH more
- 57% believe face-to-face time with managers leads to higher raises
37% of workers forced to RTO want to WFH more
Nearly one-quarter (73%) of workers who have been asked to return to office are required to go in four days or more. In fact, 62% are going into the office five days a week.
While a majority (58%) are satisfied with the number of days they are currently asked to go in, 37% would prefer to go in less. Notably, 5% would prefer to go into the more.
Of those who want to go into the office less frequently, 55% want to work fully remotely.
“Many workers are still wanting to work from home and they want to be able to negotiate their weekly schedules,” says Chief Career Advisor Stacie Haller.
“If companies want to retain staff, they will need to be somewhat flexible with their RTO policy. That is if the employee’s position allows it. For workers in positions where working from home is largely not an option, such as a physician or educator, these employers should focus on other forms of retention, such as offering commuter benefits. There is still very much a war on talent and companies need to be flexible with their workforce to retain them.”
Convenience, commuting costs top reasons why workers dislike RTO policy
The top reasons workers want to work from home more often is it would be more convenient (85%) and would save them money on commuting (77%).
Additionally workers say they want to work from home more because it would be better for their mental health (58%), increase their productivity (49%), and make them feel safer (32%).
“Since the cost of commuting is one of the main reasons many do not want to return to the office, organizations that aren’t already covering these costs for those who are being required to RTO, should definitely consider doing so,” says Haller.
3 in 10 will quit by EOY if the RTO policy doesn’t change
For those who want to work from home more, 50% will look for other jobs if they aren’t able to do so, and 29% will quit this year if the policy doesn’t change.
A number of workers who find their current policy acceptable would not be so tolerant of being asked to go into the office more days. For those who are satisfied with the current policy, if their company was to demand they come in more, 31% say they would look for another job, and 21% say they would quit.
One-third would rather have more WFH days than a bigger raise
Those who want to work from home more are willing to make financial sacrifices.
Thirty-four percent say they would take a lower raise in exchange for working from home more days, while 22% say they would take a salary cut.
Although some employees are willing to reduce their salaries or raises, Haller warns companies about doing this.
“Paying anyone less is never a good policy for retaining employees, so I don’t believe this is a good option for employers to exchange for WFH,” Haller says. “Employee pay should not be contingent on where you work from but on what skills and expertise they bring to the position.”
Majority of workers believe going into the office more would lead to higher raise
Of those who currently go into the office less than five days a week, 57% say they think they would be more likely to get a higher raise if they had more in-person face-to-face time with managers and other decision makers.
Respondents were able to write-in why they believe this to be the case. Responses, which have been edited for clarity, included:
- “They get to know me better and are able to make a better connection.”
- “My superiors seeing me perform my job duties at a consistently high-level, would definitely persuade them to make decisions in my favor.”
- “That way your bosses and managers can physically see you and the work that you accomplish on a daily basis.”
- “I would have more of a personal relationship with my boss and my peers.”
- “There is more familiarity when you cohabit the same space. There might be a better connection and communication as a result as well.”
“It’s true that managers are still learning how to lead, mentor, and oversee their direct reports with remote work,” says Haller. “And of course, we do know that out of sight may be out of mind, but especially as younger managers rise through the ranks, whether workers are remote or in-person won’t matter as much.”
“However, personal relationships are important in the workplace, and that is why the hybrid model may be where we land so face-to-face meetings do occur. At the end of the day, it’s up to both managers and direct reports to be engaged and connected whether they are remote or in-person. Companies should prioritize training to help facilitate this as well.”
Methodology
All data found within this report derives from a survey commissioned by ResumeBuilder.com and conducted online by survey platform Pollfish on February 23, 2023. In total, 1,000 U.S. workers were surveyed.
Appropriate respondents were found through screening questions. They had to answer that they work full-time, their employer has a physical office space, and they are currently required to go into the office at least once a week.
This survey utilizes a convenience sampling method. For more information contact [email protected].
