Is The Work From Home (WFH) Dream Dead?

The data from the latest round of Work from Home (WFH) versus Return to the Office (RTO) is in – and employers appear to have scored a technical knockout.

Before COVID-19, only 6% of US workers primarily worked from home. The pandemic forced professionals to work remotely, andthat percentage shot up to 51% in April 2020, creating a worker revolt against the entire concept of being in an office. As the country “opened back up,” employers faced a labor shortage, and professionals took a firm stance against returning to the office ever again.

The tug-of-war between employers wanting their employees to return to the office vs. employees demanding remote or hybrid schedules continued through 2023 and was the centerpiece of recruitment efforts. Employees had greater leverage and serious discussions about repurposing empty office buildings gained traction.

Last year the WFH trend reversed. As 2024 ended, 14% of U.S. workers primarily worked from home. That is still an 8% increase from pre-Covid levels, but a drop of 37% from the peak in 2020. The job market is still hot but leverage has swung back to the employers, who are issuing ultimatums to existing employees to return to the office and recruiting for new employees with less or no accommodation for workers who want to work from home.

That doesn’t automatically mean the Work from Home movement is over nor that it will necessarily continue to trend downward until it approaches the pre-Covid level of 6%. During the pandemic, both employers and employees discovered the benefits of working from home. Employees realized they could be equally productive at home while enjoying a better work-life balance. Employers found that their employees could also be just as productive from home, allowing them to save significant money in the process. Neither of those realizations has changed. What has changed is a one-size-fits-all approach.

Once major companies like Amazon decided to mandate their workers return to the office, other companies followed. This year is already on track to give RTO a series of high-profile victories. However, there is no doubt the labor landscape has been irrevocably changed by the pandemic and the conflict between WFH and RTO has resulted in an uneasy détente. Employers may want their employees in the office, but employees still want to work from home.

For instance, some companies like Ex and Zillow continue to prioritize remote work and have seen a fourfold increase in the number of applications received. Other companies have struck a balance by providing hybrid schedules or designated in-office “focus” periods for positions that allow for more flexible arrangements. Options still exist but on more of a company-by-company, job-by-job basis.

If you’re a job seeker, there are advantages to the current détente:

• Professionals have greater clarity in managing their career expectations when a company’s policies are known in advance and are unlikely to change. Uncertainty is a motivation killer.

• Top performers always have greater bargaining power and that includes working remotely and negotiating compensation.

• Sectors that traditionally have had a higher percentage of remote workers, such as Information Technology, sales, and consulting, are likely to continue to do so.

• Even in companies with RTO mandates, there may be flexibility for certain roles that require specialized skills. The simple rule of supply and demand transcends company policy. For example, if you’re one of the only people who knows how to keep some vital but archaic technical infrastructure from crashing and you want to work remotely, chances are the company that needs you will allow it – and pay top dollar!

• The self-employed can choose what’s best for their line of work. You can work from home, rent an office, or create your own hybrid schedule by working from home and out of a work-share space part of the time.

• Working in an office has professional advantages, even for employees who may work remotely most of the time. Being in an office improves collaboration, personal and professional development, visibility, and your relationships with your co-workers. There is also a ripple effect. An empty office building isn’t as valuable as a full one, and a building full of employees supports all the small businesses that surround it (e.g., lunch spots, dry cleaners, etc.).

Many of the arguments against working remotely disappeared with the pandemic, so employers must be more sensitive to employee desires if they wish to attract and retain top talent. That doesn’t mean the Fortune 500 is going to suddenly transform into some remote worker paradise, but it has carved out a space where professionals at the top of their field have more wriggle room to negotiate.

Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.