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Americans Are Willing to Take Pay Cuts to Never Go Into the Office Again

What would you sacrifice to be able to work from home forever?

Americans Are Willing to Take Pay Cuts to Never Go Into the Office Again
A woman working from home with a laptop computer and bank debit card. (Photographer: Hollie Adams/Bloomberg)

What would you sacrifice to be able to work from home forever?

A new survey shows that many Americans say they’d be willing to take reduced salaries, give up days off or put in more hours for a job that offers a fully remote option.

After more than a year of full or partial remote work in many white-collar industries, employers are trying to get workers back to the office, even as the delta coronavirus variant takes hold across the U.S. To entice workers back, some companies are holding back-to-work parties and dishing out prizes, providing free lunch or child care, or even offering yoga classes.

Some workers aren’t too fond of the prospect — whether they are concerned about their health, have domestic responsibilities that keep them home or simply don’t want to return to an unwelcome commute.

An online survey commissioned by Breeze, an insurance company, found that 65% of American workers who said their jobs could be done entirely remotely were willing to take a pay cut of 5% — which could represent several years of annual raises — to stay at home.

Americans Are Willing to Take Pay Cuts to Never Go Into the Office Again

The online survey, conducted by the polling firm Pollfish on July 20 and 21, included responses from 1,000 people who said they were “employed or looking for work at a job that can be completed entirely remotely.”

Most people said they wouldn’t give up more than 5%, but 15% of respondents said they’d be willing to shave off 25% of their salary to be remote. Nearly half — 46% — said they would give up a quarter of their days off, and 15% said they would give up all paid time off to be able to work from home.

Americans Are Willing to Take Pay Cuts to Never Go Into the Office Again

On a lighter note, the firm also asked what else people would give up for option to work remotely. More than half said they’d give up Netflix, social media or Amazon for a year. A third of respondents even said they’d give up the right to vote in all future national and local elections. Gen Z was most likely — 44% — to say they would give up their right to vote, while Baby Boomers were most opposed, with only 27% saying they would give it up.

©2021 Bloomberg L.P.