Let Me Work From Home, or I Will Find Another Job

Abstract

Four in ten Americans who currently work from home at least one day a week would seek another job if employers require a full return to business premises. In addition, most employees would look favorably on a new job that offers the same pay and the option to work from home 2 or 3 days a week. These employee attitudes are pushing many employers to permanently alter working arrangements. As of June 2021, employers plan for their employees to spend 1.2 full days per week working from home after the pandemic ends. These planned levels of post-pandemic working from home have risen 23% in the past year. Our survey-based evidence also suggests that high rates of quits and job openings in recent months partly reflect a re-sorting of workers with respect to a newly salient job attribute – namely, the scope for remote work.