New research shows that a growing number of employees are leaving companies that impose strict requirements on office attendance. Recruiters are reporting a significant increase in employee applications at companies requiring full-time office attendance, with two-thirds of recruiters surveyed noticing this trend.
The findings, from a study commissioned by IWG, a provider of flexible workplaces, show that stricter office policies are becoming less and less popular in the labor market. Three-quarters of recruiters say candidates now routinely turn down roles that lack hybrid work options, while 72% believe companies without flexible work policies become less competitive in attracting top talent.
The shift follows a wave of stricter remote working mandates from major employers including Amazon, Asda, PwC and Santander. Notably, Amazon has ordered employees to return to the office full-time from January, while Starling Bank’s hybrid workforce has been ordered to spend at least 10 days a month in the office – leading to the resignation of frustrated employees.
Employees in positions that require five days of office attendance have expressed dissatisfaction. Separate research from IWG shows that 36% of these workers believe their employers are at risk of losing top talent, while almost half (46%) are actively seeking jobs that offer flexibility to avoid long commutes.
Mark Dixon, CEO of IWG, highlighted the business benefits of hybrid working: “The hybrid model increases staff productivity and job satisfaction while significantly reducing costs. Flexible working has been proven to improve employee retention and competitiveness in the labor market.”
The backlash against office mandates comes at a time when economists, including Nicholas Bloom of Stanford University, predict such policies could ultimately backfire. Bloom has warned that an exodus of talent could force companies to abandon strict return-to-the-office rules in the coming year.