The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes in the way Americans work, with remote work becoming more prevalent than ever before. Five years after the pandemic disrupted office life, a research team tracking remote employment has found that employees in remote-friendly jobs now spend an average of 2.3 days each week working from home. This shift represents a significant change from pre-pandemic times, where remote work accounted for only 7% of the nation’s paid workdays.
The rise of remote work has led to a new rhythm in American workplaces, with employees now working remotely 1.4 days a week, or 28% of the time. This shift has not only changed the way people work but has also presented both challenges and advantages for employers and employees alike. As management professors who study remote work and collaboration, we have observed that finding the right balance between working from home and at the office remains a key challenge for many organizations.
While some companies have embraced fully remote work, others are rejecting remote work and demanding that employees return to the office full time. However, these examples are not the norm, as many companies are now adopting hybrid work arrangements, where employees split their time between working from home and in the office. This shift towards hybrid work is reflected in the data, with a significant increase in the number of companies offering hybrid work options.
The prevalence of remote work varies widely by industry, location, and employer size. Industries such as technology, insurance, telecommunications, professional services, and media and entertainment are among the biggest adopters of long-term remote and hybrid arrangements. Additionally, businesses with 500 or fewer employees are the most likely to embrace remote work, while very large employers with 25,000 employees or more are more likely to adopt hybrid work.
Employee preferences for in-office work, remote work, and hybrid work have also evolved over the course of the pandemic. Research by Zoom has found that roughly 25% of professional employees prefer office work, 35% prefer remote work, and 40% prefer hybrid work. Even recent college graduates express a range of preferences, with 65% preferring a hybrid schedule. However, the ideal balance of office and remote work remains a point of contention, with employees favoring three days at home and two in the office, while employers prefer the opposite.
Overall, the future of work looks to be hybrid, with remote work of the lockdown days also here to stay. This shift towards hybrid work is good news for those who prefer fully remote work, such as parents, caregivers, individuals living in rural communities, or those who experience microaggressions in the workplace. As we mark the fifth anniversary of the COVID-19 lockdown, it is clear that there is no one-size-fits-all workplace, and the diversity of work arrangements is a positive development for both employers and employees.
