You Might Not Have to Return to the Office After All — New Data Shows Remote Work May Be the Norm Again

A new report found that remote work experienced a sharp uptick between October and January, after a slump from its high in April 2021.

When the pandemic pushed workers in nearly every industry out of the office and into their homes, it was a jarring adjustment — at least in the beginning. However, as time went on, more workers embraced the new norm of conducting business in the comfort of their homes, and by June 2022, many reported actually preferring it.

While companies have been trying to lure employees back into the office through hybrid work models— some have even threatened termination if they don't comply.

But now, according to LinkedIn's Workforce Confidence Index, from October 2022 to January 2023, the percentage of those who reported working remotely jumped from 25% to 28%, while those who worked mostly onsite fell from 55% to 50%, according to the report.

Related: Why Remote Work Shouldn't Be Up for Debate

The slight uptick could signal that the downward trend for remote work could be reversing. However, it could be too early to tell if the reversal is merely a temporary deviation from the otherwise switch to onsite and hybrid work that has been increasing in the past few months or if remote work will continue to prevail in the long run.

Additionally, the return to remote work could also be a product of many companies entering a money-saving mode as recession fears continue to loom amid rising layoffs — with big tech companies like Twitter facing eviction and lawsuits regarding a failure to pay rent at some offices.

Either way, the ratio between remote, hybrid, and onsite work maybe continue to be a mixed bag for the time being.