Millions of Americans have gotten used to working from home. But a big shift in CEO sentiment indicates that widespread remote work may be on borrowed time.
In a recent KPMG survey of more than 1,300 CEOs globally, including 400 in the U.S., 79% said they believe corporate employees will make a full return to the office over the next three years.
That is notable, because it is more than double the 34% who said the same thing when surveyed earlier this year.
The survey found 17% of the CEOs believe hybrid arrangements will be the norm — down from 46% earlier in the year. And a mere 4% envision fully remote work schedules as the norm, although in fairness that is actually up 1% from earlier in the year.
The dramatic shift in these projections suggests that CEOs are about to begin pushing much harder for their employees to come back to the office. And indeed, 86% of CEOs say they plan to reward workers who make an effort to come into the office with favorable assignments, raises or promotions.
So, workers who thought commutes were soon headed for the dustbin of history might want to think again.
Of course, even if this prediction comes true, it is likely that some companies that have made the transition to remote work will continue down that road. If you love working remotely and shiver at the thought of returning to an office, check out the “20 Companies Embracing Permanent Remote Work-From-Home Jobs.”
