Would you take a pay cut or decline a raise just to stay working remote?
Many Americans would according to a Yahoo Finance survey that shows this new trend is seemingly on the rise.
A survey on remote work, conducted by Owl Labs and Global Workplace Analytics, revealed that one in four Americans are still working remote or hybrid and almost 50 percent of these employees wouldn’t mind taking up to a five percent pay cut to keep going as is.
Roughly 25 percent of those employees surveyed would also consider leaving their jobs if they’re unable to continue working remotely, USA TODAY shared.
“The data is very clear from this perspective that worker flexibility is here to stay and companies need to start thinking with a remote-first mentality,” said Frank Weishaupt, Owl Labs CEO, in the USA TODAY article. “Going forward, it will almost always be the case that at least one person will be in your meeting on a screen.”
Lister added that online-only meetings have allowed for some breathing room for introverts and minorities who might have been more reluctant to speak up during in-person gatherings, too, another factor that could be pushing the remote work option.
“It’s just clear that when we think about work, there’s no going back to the way things were,” Lister added in the article.
NPR reported, similarly, that employees around the nation would also okay lower wages just to work remotely.
Over a third of American workers who can continue working from home and who accounted for many of the 25,000 Americans polled, would opt to take a pay cut if they could work from home at least once a week, according to the article, which adds that working from home has impacted inflation and other economic factors where a portion of America is buying less as they continue to stay home more.
“We conclude that the recent rise of remote work materially lessens wage-growth pressures,” economists Jose Maria Barrero, Nicholas Bloom, Stephen J. Davis, Brent H. Meyer and Emil Mihaylov said in the article. “In doing so, the rise of remote work eases the challenge confronting monetary policymakers in their efforts to bring the inflation rate down to acceptable levels without stalling economic growth.”
Alicia Howell, founder and feminine leadership coach at Detroit-based Courageous Coaching LLC, told the Michigan Chronicle that as her own boss she is empathetic toward employees who she feels should do what works for them.
“I think when it comes to making that decision it all boils down to who you are as a person and what works best for you,” she said. “I don’t make decisions based on money alone but … based on my wellbeing. Some people might be better at home or some prefer the office.”
Howell, who has an office space and plans to open a workspace studio in Detroit soon, said that she operates off her menstrual cycle and she would want to be in the office the first two weeks of the month and the last two weeks at home so she can show up fully as herself. In her space where she helps people operate fully in their lane, she sets her own terms with work.
“I have my own business — I create my own schedule; I work around my menstrual cycle and my whole team knows that,” she said, adding that making less money and working remotely should not be in the same sentence. “I don’t think that should be a thing. Why should I take a pay cut because I’m taking responsibility for my wellbeing? It’s crazy that it’s even a conversation … when we all doing the same work no matter the location … I think it’s a control mechanism, personally.”
She advises bosses to put themselves in the shoes of their employees like she does and let them do what’s best.
“Extend grace and compassion to that person,” she said. “Get a different vision on how to have professionalism and wellness united in one space.”