One year after MyPerfectResume, a premium resume-building service, reported that 51% of U.S. workers would quit immediately rather than accept a non-negotiable RTO order, a new survey reveals a dramatic reversal. The latest report finds that the age of worker leverage is ending. Only 7% of employees now say they would quit outright over a mandatory RTO policy, signaling that the Great Resignation has given way to the Great Compliance. In 2026, workers overwhelmingly expect to tilt back toward the office: just 27% predict a primarily remote workforce, while 47% expect most roles to be on-site, and another 27% foresee a hybrid model. 

As job security becomes tighter and employer authority resurges, workers are increasingly viewing remote work as a privilege rather than a right. 

Key findings include the following. 

  • Only 7% of employees say they would quit outright over a mandatory RTO policy, compared to 51%, who said the same thing in January 2025. 
  • Nearly three-quarters (74%) of workers predict that they will have the same or less bargaining power to demand flexibility in 2026 as they did in 2026. 
  • Almost half (46%) expect companies to become stricter about requiring on-site attendance. 
  • Most (73%) expect employers to expand their use of surveillance tools to enforce accountability. 
  • Nearly half (44%) believe at least half of U.S. companies will have entirely eliminated remote work by the end of 2026. 
  • Workers expect 2026 to tilt back toward the office. 

“As companies regain control, workers are realizing flexibility isn’t guaranteed; it’s negotiated,” says Jasmine Escalera, career expert at MyPerfectResume. “Employers know they have the upper hand, and they’re using it to reset expectations around office attendance and accountability.” 

When asked what’s driving the RTO movement, workers pointed squarely at business motives, not culture: 

  • productivity (48%); 
  • leadership preference (18%); 
  • real-estate cost justification (11%); 
  • efforts to quietly reduce headcount (11%); and 
  • culture concerns (9%).  

Only 3% selected “other,” indicating that workers view most RTO mandates as economically motivated rather than cultural or collaborative. 

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