Owl Labs’ State of Hybrid Work Report finds hybrid + remote work are still increasing but coffee badging declines as employers crack down

Owl Labs immediately launched its eighth annual State of Hybrid Work Report. Owl Labs surveyed 2,000 full-time information employees in the US to uncover the most recent traits and views round distant and hybrid work. Findings embrace a crackdown on espresso badging, appreciation for the “inexperienced flag boss,” workplace avoidance as a result of political speak throughout election season, and workers posting complaints on #WorkTok and different social media. 

“Regardless of the misunderstanding that almost all workers at the moment are again within the workplace full-time, the truth is that hybrid and distant work proceed to develop and so they’re taking again share from absolutely in-office work ,” stated Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs. “Some workers see the worth of the workplace however wish to go there on their very own phrases and regardless of job market fluctuations, they proceed to stay agency on wanting flexibility in the place they work. Widespread deterrents in immediately’s places of work that employers ought to concentrate on embrace political chats, distractions throughout time wanted for solo deep work, and costly commutes.” 

Hybrid + distant work achieve momentum amid decline in full-time workplace attendance

The report reveals that full-time workplace employees now comprise 62% of the workforce, a 6% drop from final yr, whereas multiple in three employees (38%) are hybrid or distant, a 15% enhance. This contains over 1 / 4 of workers (27%) who’re hybrid, a 4% enhance from final yr. Full-time distant work has additionally surged by 57%, with 11% of employees now working from house. 

Regardless of these shifts, a disconnect stays between workers’ most popular and precise days within the workplace. Almost a 3rd of hybrid employees (32%) are within the workplace about 4 days per week however solely 14% would favor to be. Essentially the most generally desired variety of days per week is three (33% of hybrid employees would favor this) or two days (20%). 

Espresso badging declines as some employers crack down

Whereas the viral development of espresso badging – displaying up on the workplace lengthy sufficient for a cup of espresso earlier than returning house to work – persists, its prevalence has barely decreased from 2023 (58%). Almost half of hybrid employees (44%) admit to espresso badging and one other 11% want to strive it, a 38% enhance in curiosity from final yr. Employers are beginning to catch on, as 70% of employees have been caught espresso badging by their bosses and 16% of them at the moment are required to be within the workplace for the total day. Three-quarters of employees (75%) suppose the strain from employers to work within the workplace is just as a result of their conventional expectations, a 9% enhance since 2023.

However, 59% of espresso badgers stated their employers didn’t thoughts. Bosses usually tend to be espresso badgers themselves, as 47% of managers admit to it, in comparison with 34% of particular person contributors. That is one other signal that return-to-office mandates aren’t working if managers received’t implement them, as everyone seems to be in search of flexibility in the place they do their greatest work.

Because of this, some main firms have lately launched insurance policies to stop espresso badging, which might embrace monitoring software program to watch in-office attendance. Owl Labs’ report discovered practically half (46%) of workers stated their corporations elevated utilization of worker monitoring software program prior to now yr. The overwhelming majority of workers (86%) imagine corporations needs to be legally required to reveal in the event that they’re utilizing these instruments. 

Supportive bosses are practically as beneficial to employees as their paychecks

The 2024 report additionally revealed the significance of getting a “inexperienced flag boss” who’s supportive of workers. About 92% of workers rank having an MVP supervisor as crucial issue of their work lives which is simply two proportion factors behind the share of workers who named compensation as their prime precedence (94%). The information means that workers worth managerial help practically as a lot as their paychecks and much more than their healthcare advantages (91% stated this was a prime issue). For employers trying so as to add worth, investing in administration coaching to show extra supervisors into inexperienced flag bosses could result in elevated worker retention and satisfaction.

Workers are spilling the corporate tea on #WorkTok

In the meantime, workers who in all probability don’t have inexperienced flag bosses are taking their frustrations to social media. Over one-third (34%) of workers have posted damaging content material about their jobs on-line, with Gen Z main the cost as 48% of respondents in that era admit they’ve executed this. Whether or not they’re posting within the #WorkTok nook of TikTok (15% of employees do), by their different private social media channels (19%) or anonymously on platforms like Glassdoor (13%), workers have grow to be more and more vocal about their dissatisfaction.  

Males are practically twice as probably as ladies to complain on-line, with 46% admitting they’ve posted negatively about work on social media, in comparison with 24% of girls. Almost one in 5 employees (15%) have even turned the surveillance tables on their employers by recording conferences or conversations with them. Savvy employers ought to keep clear and truthful office insurance policies to keep away from changing into the subsequent viral story, as many corporations have discovered the exhausting method that damaging posts can shortly spiral uncontrolled.

Inflation hits commuting prices for hybrid employees

This yr’s report additionally discovered that it now prices hybrid employees a median of $61 per day to go to the workplace, a 20% enhance from 2023. The rising prices of commuting ($17 per day), parking ($10), and meals ($13 for breakfast / espresso and $21 for lunch) are important deterrents for a lot of hybrid employees, when it solely prices $19 per day once they work remotely. Nevertheless, 86% of hybrid and distant workers could possibly be enticed again to the workplace with the correct incentives. Common attracts embrace increased compensation (41% stated this might lure them again), free or sponsored meals and drinks (26%), or reimbursement for commuting and parking (26%). If it’s essential for workers to satisfy in individual, the correct perks could make it actually value their whereas.

Political watercooler speak deters workplace attendance

Because the 2024 election approaches, practically half of employees (45%) say that their employers’ or colleagues’ political beliefs within the workplace have made them much less inclined to go in. This sentiment is especially robust amongst full-time in-office workers, with 50% citing political tensions as a deterrent, in comparison with 37% of hybrid employees. 

Furthermore, 28% of employees plan to take a post-election psychological well being day on November 6 if the outcomes don’t go their method, with one other 9% undecided however leaning towards staying house. Whereas many employers are pushing in-office work as a result of they see the optimistic influence of watercooler speak, it might probably additionally backfire when controversial subjects are prime of thoughts and troublesome to keep away from, growing the potential for heightened stress and office tensions.

Staff draw boundaries on conferences + workloads however not sick days

One other instance of employees advocating for his or her wants is the truth that greater than half of workers (58%) are utilizing calendar blocking to guard their time in opposition to conferences and reserve it for targeted work. Full-time workplace employees (64% of them do it) are twice as probably to make use of this technique in comparison with their hybrid (28%) and distant (8%) counterparts, reflecting the necessity for uninterrupted productiveness in an more and more busy work atmosphere. As well as, workers with caregiving tasks are twice as prone to calendar block (67% do it) as non-caretakers (33%). Some workplaces, together with Owl Labs, even take calendar blocking a step additional with No Assembly Days when everybody can go heads-down.

Multiple in 5 employees (22%) are additionally establishing boundaries round their workloads, by not taking up work that’s outdoors of their job descriptions. One other 20% refuse to reply firm communications outdoors of labor hours, which illustrates why “proper to disconnect” legal guidelines have been rising in recent times.

Regardless of these boundaries with regards to their schedules and workloads, 72% of employees are much less prone to unplug and take a sick day once they’re underneath the climate, and infrequently go the “WFB” (working from mattress) route as an alternative. Distant connection choices could have killed the snow day and sick day by preserving individuals linked, which comes with professionals and cons. Pushing by a significant sickness or harm can lengthen it however the capability to earn a living from home with a case of the sniffles is an efficient option to keep productiveness and maintain colleagues shielded from germs.

For extra insights on hybrid working and extra, check out our full report.