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During the pandemic, Zoom became a byword for online meetings as enforced remote working meant that this was the only way to connect with colleagues “face to face”. After the end of the pandemic, many businesses decided to continue to allow remote working to an extent, but over the last two years, an increasing number of companies have been calling workers back into the office.
But when Zoom itself announced that it would be limiting remote work opportunities for the talent, alarm bells sounded. Is the era of remote work really over? In July 2024 Zoom announced that it would be moving to a hybrid model, requiring employees who live within 50 miles/80 kilometers of a Zoom office to come in at least two days a week.
This is a major shift. In September 2022, only 1% of Zoom employees had a regular presence in the office, while 75% were fully remote and the rest worked on a hybrid model somewhere in between. It also seems at odds with Zoom’s continued stated intention to hire the best talent regardless of location.
So, is the remote work dream dead?
A US Phenomenon?
The level of flexibility that companies allow when it comes to where and when you work depends a lot on the individual company, its size, mandate, and culture. There will always be businesses out there that allow or even prefer remote working.
Recent discussions about companies going remote-first have focused mainly on large companies, that tend to be less agile but were surprisingly happy to let talent continue to work remotely after the pandemic proved that it was not only possible but potentially beneficial.
However, the focus on remote work has largely been a US phenomenon. Workers in Europe and Asia have already been back in the office for a while. In Europe, while most businesses have opened up their offices again and expect that workers will be there, they have maintained a level of flexibility, allowing workers to negotiate hybrid contracts with their direct managers based on their specific team needs.
According to Market Watch, commercial real-estate agency Knight Frank is reporting that office occupancy is as low as 30% on the US West Coast, and 50% on the US East Coast, while it is closer to 85-90% in Western Europe, China, Hong Kong, and Japan.
Nevertheless, it was still considered relatively shocking news when Deutsche Bank announced that from June 2024 all managers would be required to be in the office four days a week, and all other staff three days a week, even though previously staff were only allowed to work from home 2-3 days a week anyway. They also announced that a remote Friday could not be followed by a remote Monday, presumably to cut down on long weekends away.
But was this shock over this announcement coming from Deutsche Bank workers, or US advocates of remote working?
Nicholas Bloom, an economist at Standford University who has been studying remote work for decades, says that the deep defense of remote work in the US is cultural, linked to a focus on individualism. It is also worth considering that many European countries already had a more positive work-life balance with significantly higher levels of annual leave, sick, leave maternity leave, and flexibility to take time in the day when needed. Therefore, the return to the office probably does not feel like as great a sacrifice or attack on worker rights in Europe as it does in the US.
Calling US Employees Back to Work
But the passion for remote work belongs to workers, rather than companies, which have been consistently trying to get workers back in the office for the last two years.
Recently JP Morgan Chase announced that they expected managing directors in the office five days a week and other workers three days a week. Their justification was that managers are critical to the running of the business and establishing its culture. Therefore, they believe that managers need to be visible on the floor, available to meet with clients, present to teach and advise, and accessible for impromptu feedback and meetings.
Amazon announced that their teams should return to the office three days a week in 2023. They said anyone who is unable to comply should talk to the managers, not to bend the rules, but to delay while they relocate or to transfer them to another office closer to their current residence. Jobs that were already fully remote, like customer service, continued to be so.
It is clear that the push to return to the office is a top-down phenomenon, but managers in the US have struggled to enforce it due to resistance from staff. Surveys by Bloom have shown that the most common response of the “rank and file” staff to return to the office mandates has been to ignore them, and companies have either done nothing in response or simply given an ineffective verbal reprimand.
Despite this pushback, and myriad studies that suggest that working from home is more productive, a recent survey by Resume Builder found that 90% of companies are considering a return-to-work policy in 2024. Those who have already made the move say that it has improved revenue, and most companies also say that they intend to track employees to ensure compliance.
Who Will Win the War?
In this tug-of-war between companies and talent, who is likely to win? Businesses are saying that being in the office is essential for culture building and innovation, and many businesses are saying that they will lay people off who don’t comply. Advocates of remote working say that businesses need to have real justifications for the request when negotiating with employees and that “culture” is being used as code for not trusting employees to do their jobs. They also say that companies need to introduce better productivity measurements to justify their decisions.
But really, the final decision is likely to be down to the jobs market. While unemployment in the US is currently low, the cost of living is high, and employers are taking control of the market by suggesting they will pay less for remote roles. But at the same time, talent that is ostensibly happy in their roles might be willing to take a recruitment call for a more flexible remote job. This is where the battle for the future of remote work in the US is likely to play out.
What Can Remote Workers Do?
What can remote workers who feel like their ability to work remotely is being threatened do?
While companies announce high-level policies, there usually is flexibility on individual team levels depending on what you do and the dynamic of your team. You can always speak to your manager about specific remote work arrangements for you. But remember, while your comfort and convenience matter to you, it is not the way to make a compelling case to your employer. You need to focus on what they get out of the arrangement, such as increased productivity.
If you need to find a fully remote job, invest time looking at job boards that focus on remote working. But always read the fine print! Many jobs that are advertised as remote are actually hybrid and require you to be in the office a certain number of days. Always check the fine print before applying to save yourself from wasting your time.
Focus on professional development and nurturing skills that make you highly sought after, so that you have the upper hand in contract negotiations.
As is the case with most things, getting what you want usually requires making sacrifices, and finding the sweet spot between what you get and what you give up is the challenge. These kinds of choices will increasingly come into play when seeking the right work opportunities.
