A new survey from accounting firm Grant Thornton shows that some American workers value the ability to work from home so much, they would rather have flexibility over a pay increase.
In fact, 79% stated they wanted more flexibility in terms of where and when they work, and around 51% said they would give up a pay raise of 10% to 20% for this type of arrangement.
While 56% said they were still eager to return to the office in the future, 40% of respondents said they would seek another job if their employer forced them to return full-time.
Even more, one-third of respondents said they were looking for a new position during the summer.
It’s clear that this is no joke — the U.S. Department of Labor’s recent data found that 4.3 million people quit their jobs in August, which represents around 3% of the workforce.
“The challenge that companies face is creating an engaging experience for all employees, whether they are working in an office or remotely,” said Jennifer Morelli, a principal and leader of Grant Thornton’s business change enablement practice. “Organizations need to make sure they are providing meaningful opportunities and reasons to come into the office.”
