Survey: 9 in 10 companies say employees will return to the office by the end of 2024

Remote work has been the norm for many employees since the pandemic forced companies to close their doors and transition to “virtual” staffing—but the practice may soon be a thing of the past, according to data from ResumeBuilder.com, released in August.

The resume and job search firm set out to examine companies’ plans for returning to the office post-pandemic, collecting and analyzing responses from 1,000 company decision-makers across a range of industries.

By the numbers: 64% of respondents said their company has a physical office space, and 20% said their company plans to have one by the end of 2024. When asked about current or future return to office (RTO) plans, nearly all said that remote work is on the wane: 51% said they currently require some or all employees to work in person, 39% said they plan to do so by the end of 2024, and 8% said they plan to do so by 2025 or later. Of respondents whose companies have already returned to the office, three out of four said they have seen an improvement in revenue—and the vast majority also said they have seen improvements in productivity, worker retention, employee relationships, and company culture, according to the research.

The survey also asked about attendance-tracking practices and consequences for not complying with RTO policies in the post-pandemic workplace. Among respondents whose companies have returned to the office, 83% said they do so, and of the respondents whose companies plan to return to the office in 2024, 70% said they will track attendance. Fewer companies—28% overall—said they will threaten to fire employees who do not comply with the company’s RTO policy.

“It’s important to note that, when it comes to RTO, one size does not fit all,” ResumeBuilder.com’s Chief Career Advisor, Stacie Haller, said in a statement announcing the findings. “The majority of business leaders who plan to RTO in 2024 seem to understand that, in order to retain talent, they can’t force unwilling employees back to the office.”

Incentives are also on the table: 72% of decision-makers said their company will offer commuter benefits to employees, 57% said they will offer childcare benefits, and 64% said they will provide catered meals.