Gallup’s data shows that hybrid work is becoming the default for U.S. employees whose jobs can be done remotely, at least part of the time. Here’s the current picture: - About half of the U.S. full-time workforce — roughly 60 million people — are in roles that can be done remotely. Gallup calls them “remote-capable employees.” - Before the pandemic, only 8% of these employees worked fully from home, and about one-third had a hybrid setup. - At the height of the pandemic (May 2020), about 70% of remote-capable employees were working exclusively from home. - By February 2022, the mix had shifted to a more balanced model: 42% were hybrid and 39% were fully remote. Looking ahead, employees expect hybrid to become the norm: - 53% of remote-capable employees say their employer’s long-term plan is a hybrid arrangement. - 24% expect to work fully remotely. - Overall, nine in 10 remote-capable employees want some level of remote-work flexibility, and six in 10 specifically prefer hybrid. In other words, we’re not going back to the pre-2020 office. The office will be a place people use part of the week, not the default location every day. For most remote-capable roles, hybrid work is set to reshape how, where and when work gets done.

Gallup’s research suggests that not offering flexibility is a real business risk, especially for roles that can be done remotely. When employees are required to work fully on-site but would prefer hybrid or fully remote work, it negatively affects several aspects of their experience — including engagement, performance, wellbeing and their likelihood to stay. The retention risk is particularly clear in the data: - 54% of employees who are currently working exclusively from home say they would be likely to look for a new job if their employer removed remote-work options. - 38% of hybrid workers say the same. In the context of ongoing labor market movement (often called the “Great Reshuffling”), this means that rigid, office-only policies can make it harder to: - Attract top talent - Keep high performers - Maintain strong engagement and wellbeing Flexible work isn’t the only factor that matters — culture, managers, and overall engagement still play a big role — but the data shows that flexibility has become an expectation for many remote-capable employees. Ignoring that expectation can undermine hiring, retention and performance strategies.

Gallup asked remote-capable employees who prefer hybrid work why they want that model. Their answers point to a mix of practical and relational needs. Why employees prefer hybrid work: - The top reason is avoiding commute time. People are reluctant to add back the time and energy it takes to get ready, travel to the office and return home every day. - The top three reasons overall center on flexibility and control — the ability to work when, where and how it best fits their work and personal lives. - At the same time, employees still value in-person connection. Their fourth and fifth reasons highlight wanting to feel connected to their team and part of the company culture, which they say is easier to experience in person. - Notably, 38% of fully remote workers say they would actually prefer hybrid, trading some at-home time for in-person office experiences. So, hybrid is attractive because it blends flexibility with connection: employees can manage their week more effectively while still feeling part of the organization. However, there is no single “perfect” hybrid schedule: - Four in 10 employees want to be in the office two to three days per week. - About three in 10 would prefer roughly one or two days in the office. - Around four in 10 want full autonomy to come and go as they wish, while six in 10 want more structure — and even within that group, there’s no clear consensus on the exact rules. Given this variation, Gallup recommends leaders focus less on one-size-fits-all rules and more on a clear framework that balances productivity, flexibility and connectivity. Practical ways to make hybrid work productive and engaging: 1. **Design around outcomes, not just policies.** - Redefine what high performance looks like for your team. - Clarify which outcomes matter most and how you’ll measure them. 2. **Match location to the type of work.** - For highly interdependent work (where people rely on each other in real time), be more explicit about when people need to be on-site together. - For more independent work, give employees greater autonomy over where and when they work, while reinforcing accountability and communication. 3. **Allow flexibility within a clear framework.** - Give managers room to tailor hybrid arrangements based on role, team interdependence and individual circumstances. - At the same time, set boundaries for when people are expected to be available to reduce ambiguity and coordination issues. 4. **Increase communication as flexibility increases.** - Gallup finds that managers often communicate less effectively when more work happens remotely. - Hybrid teams perform better when managers proactively check in multiple times per week, clarify priorities and manage handoffs. 5. **Think “virtual first” to keep everyone included.** - Run meetings in ways that make remote participants feel fully included (for example, everyone joining via laptop so all have an on-screen presence). - Invest in training that helps teams collaborate effectively in virtual and hybrid settings. 6. **Give people a clear reason to come into the office.** - A policy alone is not a compelling reason. - Define a workplace value proposition: what employees gain from being on-site in terms of collaboration, learning, culture and relationships. When leaders intentionally design hybrid work around these principles, they can create teams that are both more flexible and more engaged, with clearer expectations, better collaboration and a healthier integration of work and home life.