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45% of Remote Workers Would Quit Their Jobs in 2022 for This Reason

by Maurie Backman | Published on Feb. 6, 2022


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Would you do the same?

Key points

New data reveals the factors that would drive people to leave their jobs today.

There's one specific change that clearly won't sit well with workers.

There was a time not so long ago when the simple fact of having a job was something to be grateful for. Early on in the pandemic, millions of Americans lost their jobs overnight, so much so that unemployment reached its highest level ever.

These days, however, the job market is much healthier, and there are plenty of opportunities to be had. As such, workers have been quick to quit their jobs for better opportunities.

Now there are plenty of factors that might drive workers to leave a job today. A big one is compensation. With inflation driving everyday living costs up, workers may not hesitate to go after a higher paycheck -- one that allows them to more easily cover their bills and perhaps even add to their savings.

But in a recent Joblist report, there's one factor that could drive many workers today to tender their resignations. It's also something a lot of people might grapple with later on this year.

Is in-person work a deal-breaker?

Joblist says 45% of current remote workers would quit their jobs if their employers started requiring full-time in-person work. Another 24% say they're not sure if they'd quit if that were to happen, but reading in between the lines, it's clear they're considering it.

The reality is that while many companies presented remote work as a temporary change at the start of the pandemic, at this point, many people have been doing it for almost two years -- and they've gotten used to it and don't want to revert to their former setups. That's understandable.

Remote work has several benefits. For one thing, there's big savings to be reaped by not having to commute to an office all the time. This especially holds true today, with gas prices being up.

Remote work could also lend to a better work-life balance. First of all, skipping the commute could be a big time-saver for a lot of people. And being home during the day could make household tasks easier to manage while also putting in a full-time work schedule.

Should you quit your job if you're asked to return to an office?

At some point this year, there's a good chance companies will try bringing employees back to the office -- especially if things improve with regard to the COVID-19 outbreak. If you're told your remote work arrangement is coming to an end, you, too, may be tempted to quit.

But is that the right move? It depends.

If your employer is willing to be flexible and let you work remotely some of the time, that's a reasonable compromise to consider. And even if your employer won't let you work remotely on a regular basis, if you have the flexibility to go remote on an as-needed basis, that, too, may be reasonable.

But if your employer makes it clear remote work is completely off the table, then you may want to seek out another job -- one that's far more flexible. This especially applies if you earn an average salary and could easily command it elsewhere. If you're compensated well and can't afford a pay cut, you may want to roll with your company's changes even if you're not thrilled about them.

These days, many companies are adopting a more flexible approach to work schedules in the wake of the pandemic. If your employer starts insisting on full-time in-person work with no exceptions, it's a sign you should probably aim to find a role elsewhere.

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