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Key Takeaways
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CEOs across the U.S. may finally get what they want: workers back in the office—but it will cost them.
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A new survey found that two-thirds of Americans would give up remote work, with 60% of that group needing a 10% or higher raise before stepping back in the office.
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A number of the biggest companies in the U.S. have tightened or abandoned their hybrid work policies in the last year, with some CEOs saying less work is done working remotely.
Would you swap your pajama pants and couch for a suit and a cubicle if it meant more money? Remote work has been on the decline in the last year since booming during the pandemic, with some companies mandating a return to office. And now a new survey shows that most workers would give up working from home in exchange for a raise.
Human resources and consulting firm Robert Half this week put out its annual Salary Guide for 2026 with typical salary ranges for dozens of jobs, along with a survey of about 4,200 total workers and hiring managers.
Would You Give Up Working From Home for a Salary Bump?
About 66% of workers surveyed said they would return to office five days a week in exchange for making more money. However, 60% that group said they would need a raise of at least 10% before stepping back in the office. And while nearly 90% of workers surveyed said they feel confident in negotiating their salary when they have a job offer, some said they remain uncertain of how to determine their value or back up the amount they are requesting.
Half of the hiring managers surveyed said they expect to add new perks this year to entice new hires, a much-needed step as 74% said they are worried that meeting an applicant’s expectations on things like salary and work-life balance are increasingly important. The most common perks workers want when changing jobs? Non-base pay financial incentives (53%), other work-life balance perks (51%), and retirement planning (42%).
Why This Matters for You
Salaries have not kept up with the high cost of goods and services in recent years. Workers want higher pay if they are to return to office. If companies can offer this perk, it could mean more money in the pockets of employees looking to pay for the high cost of living while also saving for financial goals like buying a house or investing for retirement.
Why That Might Be Music to the Ears of Most CEOs
The news that many Americans would give up remote working for more money is likely welcome news to many CEOs, who have been looking for ways to lure workers back to the office without implementing the return to office (RTO) mandates that many of America’s biggest companies have rolled out in the last year.
Since last September, companies that have tightened their return to office policies include Amazon (AMZN), Uber Technologies (UBER), and Intel (INTC), along with others like JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Ford (F).
Others, straying from issuing a strict RTO policy, have tried to entice workers back with other perks, to the extent that some analysts are growing more bullish on denim apparel makers who could benefit from a more casual office wardrobe.
The Bottom Line
Two-thirds of American workers say they could be convinced to return to an office full-time if it came with a raise, per a new survey from Robert Half. The rate of Americans working from home has been around a third of the country for three straight years after surging during the pandemic. Many CEOs say they struggle to believe all of an employee’s work gets done when they are working remotely, part of what is leading a surge of companies to order employees back to the office. If you’re willing to work from a cubicle again, it could mean more money in your pocket for your financial goals.
