Research from Robert Half finds salary premiums and other forms of flexibility could help entice employees to return to the office.
By Maggie Mancini
Despite an easing employment market, remote work options remain a key factor in workers’ decision-making process with more than one-third (39%) of workers prepared to resign from their role or turn down a job offer that does not include flexibility regarding where they work, new research from Robert Half finds.
As employers attempt to restore pre-pandemic office attendance levels, the number of days they are mandating staff to work in the office is on the rise. This year, 39% of workers are expected to be in the office full-time, up from 19% in 2023.
However, 78% of workers say remote work plays an important role in their overall job satisfaction and just 22% say it is not important. Remote work is far more important for the job satisfaction of Gen Z (84%), Gen X (80%), and millennial (79%) employees than baby boomers (71%), who have spent most of their working lives in the office.
“The future of work is not about returning to the past,” says Nicole Gorton, director at Robert Half. “It’s about finding new and innovative ways to meet the needs of both employers and employees. Flexibility is key to attracting and retaining top talent in the modern workforce. Employers need to be creative and adaptable in their approach to work arrangements. Depending on the industry and business operations, a hybrid model that combines in-office collaboration with remote flexibility can be a win-win solution for both parties.”
Employers who are willing to pay a salary premium to lure workers back to the office may have some success, as 44% of workers state they would be willing to return to the office full-time if they were offered:
- a salary premium between 1% and 10% (18%);
- a salary premium between 11% and 20% (16%); and
- a salary premium of more than 20% (9%).
Only 17% of workers reveal they would not need a salary premium to return to the office full-time. For 15% of workers, however, they would not be willing to return to the office full-time even if they were offered a salary premium. The remaining 25% of workers are already back in the office full-time.
When asked about whether they would turn down a job offer or leave a company if they are not given flexibility regarding where and when they work, 39% of employees cite not having the option to choose their work location would cause them to turn down a job offer or resign from the company. However, flexible work hours are also a significant reason for many workers to stay or go.
Meanwhile, a minority of workers do want the option to work in the office, at least some of the time or they would turn down a job (21%) or leave the company (19%). Workplace flexibility options would not impact the decision of 36% of Australian workers to turn down a job offer or 37% of workers to leave a company.
