Office Workers who are being asked (told?) to return to the office are tallying up the costs of commuting - and are pushing back. COVID shifted the balance of power to employees for a while, who suddenly felt like every aspect of the employment was strictly negotiable.
A recent survey by BETTERUP.com found that respondents estimated their incremental commute costs at more than $500 per month. The survey also found that some workers, especially younger ones, would be willing to take a pay cut of up to 15%, if they were allowed to continue to work from home.
Joel Patterson, Founder of The Vested Group says his client companies see real value in having their employees in the office and interacting with each other, instead of constantly trying to meet on video calls. He feels its important for employers and employees to have consistent expectations about attendance in the office.
Bottom line - if the dynamics don't moderate, expect more employees to vote with their feet and for recruitment for their replacements to continue.
www.thevested.com