Amid the battle for talent during the pandemic-fueled labor shortage, remote work quickly evolved from a perk to an expectation.

As the job market has shifted and more companies required more regular returns to the office, that dynamic has changed once again — with some employees even expressing a preference for in-person work.

But that doesn't mean employees' preference for some level of flexibility has disappeared.

According to a recent nationwide survey from Eagle Hill Consulting, 50% of the workers surveyed said they would consider looking for a new job if their employer reduced remote or hybrid work flexibility.

Those sentiments were highest among Gen Z workers, at 61%, followed by millennials at 58%. Less than half of Gen Xers (46%) and baby boomers (31%) felt the same.

Workers surveyed said their top concerns about more in-person work were work-life balance, commute time, increased costs, stress and their happiness.

That being said, the survey clearly showed workers see value in in-person work. About 85% of the workers surveyed saying team-building is better in-person. They also said it's better for integrating new team members (84%), starting new projects (76%) and onboarding new workers (74%). Performance discussions (68%) and giving feedback (63%) are also better done in-person, the workers said.

"Employers are wise to tread carefully when making changes to their remote and hybrid work policies," said Melissa Jezior, president and CEO of Eagle Hill Consulting, in a statement with the survey results.

If companies don't take an intentional and transparent approach, she said reducing flexibility could backfire in terms of employee retention, morale and company culture.

"It's important for employers to understand that workers do see the value of in-person work, but they view some tasks as better performed remotely and they don't want mandates," she said.

Most of the workers surveyed said they aren’t consulted by their organization when it comes to changes in remote or hybrid work policies, with only 30% saying their company has solicited their input.

More than two-thirds of the respondents (67%) said remote work improves corporate culture.

"One troubling finding is that the vast majority of workers say they haven't been asked about their preferences regarding remote work," Jezior said. "Gauging worker sentiment is a necessary step employers should take to make informed policy decisions. While employee preferences don't drive all business decisions, not understanding worker views is never a good approach."

Other findings from the survey include:

Offering remote work also boosts recruitment efforts, according to a survey of 753 recruiters by MyPerfectResume, which found that 83% of respondents believe the rise in remote opportunities has improved their applicant pool. 

At the same time, while the possibility of remote work has increased employers' willingness to consider candidates from different locations, 96% of the recruiters surveyed by MyPerfectResume still have some preference for local candidates over remote candidates.

According to FlexJobs' 2024 Generations at Work Report, which surveyed 2,000 working professionals, it is the baby boomer generation that works at home the most, with just 31% saying they work full-time in the office compared to 52% who work remote only. Gen X is next at 34% for full-time in-office work, and millennials at 40%, largely following a trend of workers with more experience and career seniority being the most likely to work remotely.

A majority of millennials, Gen Xers, and baby boomers alike agreed that a remote job where they worked completely from home was their ideal work arrangement moving forward, while 39% of millennials, 38% of Gen Xers and 32% of baby boomers said they would prefer a hybrid arrangement. 

Remote jobs highly sought after in 2024

While remote jobs provide workers with certain flexibility, they might come with a price. High-paying remote jobs have tumbled in recent months after hitting a high during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Recent data from high-paying-jobs website Ladders.com suggests that decline may have hit the floor, though — and six-figure jobs overall are surging despite the softening labor market.

An analysis of half a million job postings on Ladders.com between April and June found the share of six-figure remote jobs grew about 7% in the second quarter compared to the prior three-month period — accounting for 9% of the $100,000-per-year jobs available.

In-office six-figure jobs still dominate the landscape, accounting for about 88% of high-paying roles on Ladders.

Meanwhile, companies are shelling out less for raises in 2024 than they did last year, and projections for pay hikes in the future are dropping, too. About 47% of American companies surveyed by advisory and consulting firm WTW said their salary budgets for 2024 are lower than the previous year, with the median pay raise dropping from 4.5% in 2023 to 4.1% this year.

The drop in salary budgets comes as the labor market has cooled substantially.