Almost a year into the pandemic, technologists everywhere have gotten used to the idea of remote work. They’ve customized their home offices, adjusted their schedules, and forgotten which drawer holds their office attire. They’re so used to it, in fact, that many would quit if asked to go back to the office full-time, according to new data from Blind.
Blind, which anonymously surveys technologists about a variety of issues, recently asked its audience if they would quit if required to return to their old office desk “for 50 percent of the time or more.” Overall, roughly a third said they’d submit their resignation, although the actual percentage varied wildly from company to company:
For example, some 45 percent of respondents who worked at IBM told Blind that they’d quit if forced to commute back into the office more than half the time. Match that against Tesla, where only 10 percent of employees said they’d quit. As an associated post on Blind points out, not every technologist is satisfied with working from home full-time; others want the structure and camaraderie of a formal office environment.
Previous studies have shown that some technologists are even willing to take a pay cut to continue working from home. Over the summer, Dice’s Sentiment Survey found that 20 percent of technologists were willing to take a small salary reduction (anywhere between 5-15 percent) in order to avoid putting on pants and commuting to an actual office. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, many technologists moved from places with higher costs of living (such as Silicon Valley and New York City) to cheaper environs, raising questions over whether companies should adjust their salaries to reflect lower costs of living.
Even if you enjoy working from home, it’s important to keep in mind that burnout is a real factor. Make sure that you establish boundaries when it comes to your schedule, especially if you work for a company with employees in multiple time-zones. Frequent communication with your manager and colleagues can also help you avoid feelings of isolation.
