Is Remote Work Still Important to Employees?

Obviously, the work-from-home trend hit its peak during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, even as things returned to normal, many employers and employees, recognising the benefits of saving on overhead and commuting, as well the ability to recruit talent and find jobs with fewer geographic limitations, came to an agreement of sorts that remote work—in some form or another—was here to stay.

So, have workers come to view the option to work remotely as a given in employment agreements these days?

Outside of compensation, what makes people want to work at an organisation?

Sure, employees still consider flexible/remote working options valuable, but is it as important as it once was? Do many employees see flexible/remote working as just part of modern working and not as much of a difference-maker when choosing a new job? Let’s take a brief look at the flexible/remote working trend and where it appears to be headed.

The rise and plateau of remote working

According to Pew Research Center, only about 7% of workers whose jobs can be done remotely were working from home all the time before the pandemic. That number rose sharply to 55% in October 2020, fell slightly to 43% in January 2022, and seems to have levelled off at around 35%.

Most of this is likely due to the fact that a large proportion of workers simply don’t have jobs that can be done from home. However, our research shows that another reason for the numbers slowly decreasing is that both employers and employees are simply making it a priority to return to work, at least partially.

The next evolution of remote work: Hybrid work

The same Pew Research shows that 41% of those with jobs that can be done remotely are doing more “hybrid work,” or working some days from home and some in the office—this number has increased from 35% in January 2022. Our research suggests that hybrid arrangements are attractive to today’s employees, however, employers have yet to catch on:

• 25% of employers offer hybrid work options.
• 35% of employees are interested in hybrid work options.

While more employers should consider offering a hybrid work option, we found that, just a few years removed from the fully remote days of the pandemic, workers are prioritising other perks over the ability to work remotely.

What alternative rewards or benefits do employees consider valuable as part of a job offer?

• Paid family leave - 33%
• Sign-on bonuses - 32%
• Flexible/remote working options - 32%

Outside of compensation, what makes people want to work at an organisation?

• Good workplace culture - 39%
• Strong leadership team - 34%
• Flexible/remote working options - 32%

What should companies increase investment in to better attract and/or retain talent?

• Generous paid time off - 33%
• Strong leadership team - 32%
• Good workplace culture - 29%
• Flexible/remote working options - 28%

Employers should consider that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to remote/flexible working. Yes, offering employees the ability to at least work in a hybrid arrangement is important, but there are other areas to invest in when trying to attract and retain talent. That said, employers should also consider their audience and understand that different employers have different needs. For example, we found that flexibility and time savings are more important to older workers—perhaps because they need to juggle work and family commitments.

The opportunity for more flexible/remote work is most driving my decision to take a new job.

• 45% - aged 35-44
• 29% - aged 18-24

Saving time on commuting is a benefit of remote working.

• 58% - aged 45-54
• 30% - aged 18-24

So, yes, remote work is still important to employees.

It’s not necessarily the most important thing, but it might be to some of your workforce. The bottom line is:

The demand for remote/flexible/hybrid work is here to stay. Those employees whose jobs can be done remotely, expect to have the option.

Therefore, if you can offer it to your workforce as an option, you should.