A new national research survey conducted by Ernst & Young, a professional services firm, found U.S. employees working fully remote are almost extinct.
The survey, conducted for Ernst & Young’s third annual EY Future Workplace Index, found only 1% of C-suite corporate leaders saying their office featured full-time remote work. The number is a major drop off from the 34% of businesses who reported full-time remote work in 2022 and the 44% who reported full-time remote work in 2021.
However, full-time in-office work has not replaced remote work. The survey 27% of businesses requiring fully office-based work—down from the 28.5% of respondents in 2022.
The work strategy leading the way is hybrid work. Most offices (72%) reported requiring two to four days a week in the office, up from 38% of respondents in 2022.
Most leaders said they had full confidence in their hybrid work strategy (80%) while 18% said they were still ironing out a hybrid model.
As hybrid work increased the past two years, survey respondents said employee productivity also rose. A total of 80% of respondents said their employee productivity was somewhat or much higher during the past 24 months. About 28% of leaders said employees are equally productive when remotely rather than at the office.
Mark Grinis, Ernst & Young’s Americas real estate, hospitality and construction leader, said, “What we are seeing is a balancing out among corporate leaders regarding how they view and measure employee productivity. Most cannot point to specific evidence of decreased productivity in a remote work environment. At the same time, they are unwavering at the importance and role of the office and, accordingly, continue to invest were they think it drives productivity and the culture of the organization.”
Although offices are more filled than two years ago, they often are sparse when Friday arrives. Leaders said most employees work at the office Monday through Thursday (70% each day). Respondents said 34% of workers were in the office on Fridays.
Four-day work weeks are under consideration but Ernst & Young said having employees work from home Fridays as part of a five-day work week was the most likely scenario.
“Overall, there is an opportunity for employers and employees alike to more fully engage in the hybrid work approach, embracing the advantages of a weekly routine that blends different types of days,” the company’s report said. “Those spent in the office may mean a chance to dress professionally, plan for a commute and lunch with a coworker, and enjoy direct and collaborative interaction with leaders and colleagues; remote workdays can offer focused time to accomplish lengthy tasks in relative quiet.”
Grinis said the shift toward a more flexible work week may imply companies are reaching a hybrid equilibrium, with lines between office and remote work blurring.
“This is a positive development for both employers and employees,” Grinis said, “as they fully understand the place and value of both ways of working.”
