Employees Are Willing to Return to Office To Avoid Getting Laid Off, Study Finds

The study also revealed that 1 in every 3 Americans has been feeling some kind of work-related anxiety.

PUBLISHED APR 3, 2024

Cover Image Source: Office Floor | Unsplash | Photo by Arlington Research

With layoffs continuing unabated, employees are now agreeing to return to the office and abandon remote work if it means retaining their positions within the company. According to data from Clarify Capital, approximately 24% of workers expressed willingness to return to the office to avoid layoffs. The study further revealed that currently, one in every three Americans is experiencing work-related anxiety.

Image Source: Photo by Andrea Piacquadio| Pexels — Image Source: Photo by Andrea Piacquadio | Pexels

Furthermore, the study found that 54% of Americans have three months or less of emergency savings in case of job loss. In addition to being open to returning to the office, employees are also willing to accept pay cuts to prevent layoffs.

"It’s easier for executives to hold on to the old notion that people are really working if they can see them down the hall," says Dan Kaplan, a senior client partner at Korn Ferry. "It’s almost too hard for some leaders to comprehend a world where that option doesn’t exist, or to consider a radical new approach."

Image Source : Photo by Vlada Karpovich | Pexels — Image Source: Photo by Vlada Karpovich | Pexels

In recent months, several major companies have issued return-to-office mandates closely following announcements of layoffs. For example, in April of last year, Lyft CEO David Risher instructed employees to work from the office at least three days a week, coinciding with a round of layoffs following a previous reduction of 13% of their workforce in 2022.

Similarly, Amazon also directed employees to return to the office for at least three days a week, shortly after revealing layoffs affecting over 18,000 workers. Additionally, Elon Musk, following Twitter's transformation into X, issued a memo to staff urging a return to the office, which was soon followed by a series of layoffs

Los Angeles Times Guild members rally outside City Hall against ‘significant’ imminent layoffs at the Los Angeles Times newspaper | Getty Images | Photo by Mario Tama — Image Source: Los Angeles Times Guild members rally against layoffs | Getty Images | Photo by Mario Tama

Many companies experienced declines in performance after transitioning to remote work, prompting them to recall employees to the office. According to Microsoft, remote work led to decreased team interconnectedness and collaboration.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy emphasized, "Collaborating and inventing is easier and more effective when we’re in person."

This sentiment is echoed by other executives, including Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, who stated in 2021, "For a business like ours, which is an innovative, collaborative apprenticeship culture, this is not ideal for us." He added, "It’s an aberration that we’re going to correct as quickly as possible."

According to Disney CEO Bob Iger, connection in the workplace is key. "In a creative business like ours, nothing can replace the ability to connect, observe, and create with peers that come from being physically together, nor the opportunity to grow professionally by learning from leaders and mentors."

However, abandoning remote work has its drawbacks. While working from the office fosters a collaborative environment, remote work offers its own advantages. Employees were able to save significantly on commute costs while working from home, leading to lower credit card bills.

Returning to the office may also impact quality of life, reducing time for household chores and errands. If faced with the prospect of returning to the office against their preferences, employees may consider temporarily accepting the job while actively seeking alternative employment opportunities.