About two in five Americans say they’re living the dream with remote work while less than one in 10 wish to work on-location full time.
That’s according to a new poll of 2,000 employed Americans which revealed that if given the opportunity to build their dream schedule, 42% would opt for mostly remote work with occasional days in-office.
Respondents would also be much more likely to choose an entirely remote schedule (26%) than entirely on location (9%).
In reality, the majority (39%) work remote most of the time with occasional days in-office and almost one quarter (24%) work entirely remotely.
Only one in five people surveyed have more in-person workdays than remote.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of DoorDash, the survey also explored how certain activities and perks bring employees together — in-person or Zoom style.
Respondents do believe there are several activities that are better suited for in-person work styles.
Compared to remote, things like one-on-one meetings (57% vs 30%) and sharing meals (51% vs 28%) ranked at the top for best in-office activities.
To that same tune, more respondents prefer meeting in person for social activities such as “lunch and learn” presentations (51% vs 31%) and happy hours (46% vs 32%).
Respondents also feel they pay attention in meetings (59% vs 29%), connect more with their co-workers (53% vs 30%), and engage in company culture (51% vs 30%) more effectively on-location.
While most generations were closely split on whether they’re better at multitasking in-person or virtually, millennials were most likely to accomplish it remotely (43% vs 34%).
Fully remote work appeals to respondents because of the ability to have a flexible work schedule (49%), spend less time commuting (47%) and having more time to spend with family and friends (47%).
Half of respondents believe they will leave their current job within the next year.
Currently, “soft perks” such as training opportunities (30%), free coffee or snacks at the office (28%) and mental health resources (27%) are being offered to respondents.
But when asked which they’d give up for their dream job, they’d prefer to lose minor things like summer Fridays (27%), annual holiday parties (27%) and birthday gifts or messages (27%).
“As companies are looking for solutions to support flexible work, food plays a leading role in maintaining a positive culture. It acts as a catalyst for employees to better connect with their teams, supports employee satisfaction and productivity, and inspires lasting memories through social gatherings over meals,” said Manushika Gabriel, Director & General Manager, DoorDash for Work.
Despite the perks of working from home, top motivators to return to in-person work full-time include spending more time with their coworkers (45%), having their company pay for their commute (42%) and being offered company-supplied meals (38%).
A little more than one-third (36%) believe their company culture has improved overall since the start of the pandemic.
When asked what their employer can do in support of building culture, allowing employees to raise concerns in a safe space (54%) and creating a place to connect with coworkers outside of work (50%) ranked at the top of the list.
The survey showed that food plays a big part in happily working together. About three-fourths (74%) agree that sharing meals together positively contributes to company culture.
It’s so important, in fact, things like “free lunch” and “shar[ing] meals with my coworkers in our free time. Maybe a coffee, lunch or a cupcake, something simple”, are some of the ways respondents would feel more connected to their company culture.
More than three in five (61%) believe that eating together encourages people to talk about things other than work, while 60% say they get to know their coworkers in a more casual setting.
Thirty-nine percent of all respondents have changed jobs during the pandemic and for those respondents, 84% found it more difficult to engage with their coworkers.
“Companies are interested in providing perks and benefits to employees, with meals being at the forefront for many. We share meals with our families and friends as a way of bonding, and it’s no different in an office setting, said Gabriel. “Eating together and sharing meals doesn’t just give employees a chance to connect with one another, it builds positive company culture and team camaraderie.”
Stories and infographics by ‘Talker Research’ are available to download & ready to use. Stories and videos by ‘Talker News’ are managed by SWNS. To license content for editorial or commercial use and to see the full scope of SWNS content, please email [email protected] or submit an inquiry via our contact form.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.