What Employees Are Saying About the Future of Remote Work | McKinsey

As firms reassess their policies and work arrangements for a post-pandemic environment, this report outlines the sentiments of workers regarding the future of work and whether these needs match what their employers expect to provide. More than half of employees said they want more flexible, hybrid virtual-working models—sometimes on-premises and sometimes working remotely. Regarding the frequency of splitting time between remote work and working at an office location, most employees want to work remotely at least three days a week and indicate they will leave their companies if this need goes unmet. Across geographies, US employees are the most interested in having access to remote work. Organizations that have articulated more specific remote policies and approaches for the future workplace have seen employee well-being and productivity rise. However, 40 percent of respondents say they’ve yet to hear about any vision from their organizations, and another 28 percent say that what they’ve heard remains vague—fueling anxiety and burnout. While most workers want flexible work location models, employees without children under 18 are nearly three times as likely to prefer on-site work. Other ideas are discussed.