What’s Really Going on with Remote Work

As everyone knows, remote work hit an all-time high during COVID – out of necessity. I wanted to do a 2025 update on this topic, to really get clear on what’s happening.

An article published on March 25th by Rachel Cromidas on LinkedIn News covered this topic. According to the article, remote work is on the decline, while hybrid and in-office arrangements are increasing. One in three executives surveyed said they preferred their team to be onsite.

Here are the stats: in October 2020, 46% of employees were remote, 12% were hybrid, and 39% were working on site. As of February 2025, just 26% of workers were fully remote, 16% have hybrid schedules, and 55% are onsite.

What Employers are Thinking About Remote Work

-Many believe onsite work fosters stronger company culture, collaboration, and engagement; it enhances teamwork, communication, and a shared sense of mission. 79% of managers believe remote work has led to greater productivity, created happier employees.

-At the same time, the majority of employers recognize that imposing return-to-office mandates often means losing talent, and typically they are the best talent because they know they have options.

-Employers allowing remote or hybrid work have lower operational costs, such as reduced office space, and a broader talent pool that isn’t geographically restricted.

-Only about 12% of executives with hybrid or remote workers plan a full return to office in the near future.

- The belief is that remote work will expand in the next five years.

-Challenges include managing compliance in multiple jurisdictions, ensuring equitable pay for geographically distributed teams, and the potential for a reduced sense of belonging for some employees.

Ultimately, while some large organizations are pushing for more office days, the prevailing employer sentiment is that remote and hybrid work are now a permanent fixture in the work landscape, vital for talent attraction and retention, even as they continue to invest in strategies to maintain culture, collaboration, and career growth in this new context.

Translated: Employees know that remote work, works – COVID proved that. Now employees are on to employers – they want a valid reason that their behinds need to be in a particular seat every work day. They also know that while remote work may not work for every job function in their company, it can absolutely work for many job functions – so the all-or-nothing approach is not cutting it with top talent.

What Employees Think About Remote Work

These data come from multiple sources including Robert Half and Gallup:

-Globally, about 91% of employees say they prefer to work fully or almost completely remote. In the U.S. about 22% of the workforce is remote, but the preference for flexibility is much higher.

-83% of global works say a hybrid model is ideal; just 1% say being in-office full-time is ideal for them.

-84% of employees feel more productive working away from the office; 74% say they are happier working remotely. Remote workers are more likely to remain in their positions compared to fully in-office employees. 79% of remote employees report lower stress.

-Many employees say they would consider pay cuts to retain remote flexibility.

-Gen Z employees are less likely to want fully remote work compared to older generations – collaboration is key here for early-career development.

-Forcing a return to office is frequently linked to lower job satisfaction and higher turnover risk.

Translated: Remote jobs DO still exist, but they aren’t as plentiful as during COVID. Hybrid work arrangements are still plentiful, however. If you have a non-negotiable requirement in regards to hybrid work, there are resources to help you locate those employers to target. Most job posting will indicate if the job is in-office, remote, or hybrid.

What Do We Know to be True?

-The increased use of AI, Virtual Reality, and Augmented Reality can be used as powerful tools for remote workers. From scheduling to collaboration, virtual meeting rooms to interactive problem solving, these tools facilitate remote work effectiveness.

-Remote work means an increasingly global workforce. Despite the decline of DEI initiatives, cultural awareness and sensitivity will continue to be important for career success.

-Cybersecurity is of increasing importance as work is done any time, anywhere. Multi-factor authentication, remote access, and zero-trust frameworks are important tools against the threat of cyber attacks.

-Increased focus on employee wellbeing and mental health – remote work doesn’t mean no stress. It can contribute to a sense of isolation and depression; without proper guardrails, it can also mean overwork.

-Manager training in how to effectively lead a dispersed team is critical. Since COVID, managers have been navigating uncharted waters regarding how to manage people remotely, how to keep them engaged and motivated, how to set and manage expectations, and how to create a sense of teamwork.

-Increasingly, companies are downsizing or doing away with centralized offices in favor of remote work hubs and shared work spaces. While reducing real estate and related costs for the employer, it also allows employees to collaborate in person – or just work in community for part of their schedule. This speaks to the flexibility that employees are asking for in 2025.

Here are 5 recommendations for hiring managers and employees:

If you are hiring

-Can remote work be an option? You’ll have a better applicant pool if it is a possibility.

-If you are an executive, work with your team to determine which jobs can be performed remotely. Employees WILL understand if there is a bona fide business reason for a job to be in-house; they WILL NOT understand if the reason is “XXX department has to be in-house, so you do, too.”

-Provide specifics in the job description as to the work location – this will weed out people who are looking for something different.

-Don’t interview people to death. Remember, your hiring process will be the only experience some people – those who aren’t ultimately hired – have of your company. Be professional, responsive, and prompt. Have the same process for those you are hiring in-house.

-Train your managers to manage dispersed teams. This can work – and you’ll have much better business results if you figure out how to do this successfully.

If you are looking

-Include “Remote” or “Hybrid” on your resume for positions in which you worked in that capacity. This helps show potential employers that you have worked in this arrangement before.

-Weave achievements into your resume that demonstrate your ability to succeed in a remote environment.

-Prepare to answer behavioral questions related to remote work, such as your ability to manage dispersed teams, a challenge you resolved around remote collaboration, or resolving conflict with a remote colleague.

-Research “companies that hire remote workers” to identify companies that embrace remote work.

-During the interview, ask questions to clarify the parameters for remote or hybrid work, such as hours you are expected to be available, the split for a hybrid job, and the tools you’ll be provided for remote work success. As with everything else, not all remote jobs are created equal.