According to new research, an increasing number of employees are leaving companies that impose strict office attendance requirements. Recruiters have reported a significant increase in job applications from employees at companies that require full-time office attendance, with two-thirds of recruiters surveyed noticing this trend.
Findings from a study commissioned by flexible workspace provider IWG reveal that stricter office policies are increasingly unpopular in the job market. Three-quarters of recruiters said candidates now routinely reject roles that lack hybrid working options, while 72% believe companies without flexible working policies are less competitive in attracting top talent.
The shift follows a wave of stricter remote working mandates from major employers, including Amazon, Asda, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Santander. Notably, Amazon instructed employees to return to the office full-time from January, while hybrid employees at Starling Bank were ordered to spend at least 10 days a month in the office — leading to resignations from frustrated employees.
Employees in roles that require five-day office attendance expressed their dissatisfaction. Separate research by IWG found that 36% of these workers believe their employers risk losing top talent, while nearly half (46%) are actively looking for jobs that offer flexibility to avoid long commutes.
Mark Dixon, CEO of IWG, emphasized the business benefits of hybrid working: “The hybrid model enhances workforce productivity and job satisfaction while significantly reducing costs. Flexible working has been proven to enhance employee retention and competitiveness in the labor market.
The backlash against job mandates comes as economists, including Stanford University’s Nicholas Bloom, predict that such policies may ultimately backfire. Bloom warned that the talent exodus could force companies to abandon strict return-to-office rules next year.
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