For the past two years, many tech firms, globally, have been pushing employees back into the office, often under the threat of layoffs. Even companies like Zoom, a poster child for remote work, reversed course and resumed in-person operations last year.

However, tech leaders now appear to be abandoning their fight against remote work. Just 3% of tech companies now require employees to work full-time in the office, down from 8% a year ago, according to recent research by Flex Index.

The study analysed the flexible work policies of 2,670 tech firms, which collectively employ over 11 million people. The findings indicate that flexible work is no longer a temporary solution – it’s becoming the new standard.

In fact, the survey shows that 79% of tech firms are now fully flexible, an increase from 75% in 2023. More notably, a growing number of companies are empowering employees to decide when and where they work.

The “employee’s choice” model has surged in popularity, adopted by 56% of tech firms this year, compared to just 38% in 2023. In contrast, only 18% of firms now dictate specific days for in-office work through structured hybrid models.

Tech CEOs Struggle with Return-to-Office Policies

Tech companies are particularly well-positioned to embrace remote work — after all, many of them developed the tools that make it possible. Early in the pandemic, companies like Meta, Twitter (now X), and Shopify declared their commitment to remote work, with Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg proclaiming that half of the company’s workforce would operate remotely within the next five to ten years.

But this optimism didn’t last. In 2023, Zuckerberg shifted gears, dubbing it the “year of efficiency” and calling employees back to the office in the name of productivity. Other tech giants like Dell, Google, Salesforce, and Amazon have also rolled back their remote work policies, often tying in-office attendance to career advancement. Despite these efforts, many employees have resisted.

Amazon’s return-to-office mandate has been particularly contentious. In response to the company’s three-day in-office requirement, roughly 30,000 employees signed a petition in protest, and over 1,800 workers pledged to walk out in defiance of the policy.

However, it’s not just the tech industry that’s seeing this shift. CEOs across sectors are softening their stances on remote work. According to a KPMG survey of U.S. CEOs at companies generating at least $500 million annually, only one-third expect a full return to the office within the next three years. This is a stark contrast to last year, when 62% of CEOs believed remote work would be over by 2026.

However, leaders are facing far more resistance to rigid office mandates than anticipated. Workers, now accustomed to the flexibility of remote work, are pushing back hard against these mandates, forcing companies to rethink their strategies.

Amazon’s ongoing struggle to enforce its in-office policy is a testament to this resistance. Despite announcing its mandate over a year ago, the company is still facing widespread non-compliance.

Flexible Working Faring Better in Scotland

The majority of Scottish employers and workers think flexible working is good for business and for people. But more than four in ten (43%) business leaders and senior managers say greater flex is being held back because of opposition from their own peers and senior colleagues, prompting calls for ‘doubting’ business leaders to stop dismissing flex and look at the evidence.

Research published by social business Flexibility Works in a report called Flex for Life 2024 shows 71% of Scottish employers think flexible working is positive for their organisation, and 85% of Scottish workers either already work flexibly or would like to do so.

The figures, based on polling data from 262 Scottish business leaders and senior managers as well as 1,016 Scottish workers, are the latest in a growing body of evidence about the positive impact of flexible working, which Flexibility Works says business leaders should take seriously.

According to the new data, flexible working continues to rise in Scotland with 67% of workers saying they work flexibly, up from 61% last year, and 46% pre-pandemic.

The data shows Scottish employers recognise many business benefits from offering flexible working. This includes that flex has:

• 75% – helped retain good staff
• 71% – reduced staff sickness and absence
• 66% – encouraged staff to above and beyond their role
• 64% – enabled them to increase overall business productivity
• 64% – reduced costs to the business
• 60% – increased the quality and quantity of candidates during recruitment

The research includes comparative responses from flexible workers (people who currently work flexibly) and workers without flexibility that demonstrates clear business benefits from offering flex. Flexible workers consistently responded more positively than workers without flex to a range of statements, including:

Recommended reading

• Tech Companies Incorporated in Scotland Rose by 21% Last Year
• Tech Nation’s Last Report: UK Tech to Quadruple by 2032
• New Data Reveals Challenges for Scotland’s Female Entrepreneurs

• I’m happy with my work life balance (77% of flexible workers, 47% of workers without flex)
• I would like to stay with my employer (73% of flexible workers, 58% of workers without flex)
• I feel calm and focused at work (69% of flexible workers, 46% of workers without flex)
• I would recommend my employer (65% of flexible workers, 42% of workers without flex)

The message is clear: Tech CEOs, and CEOs more broadly, are finding that returning to pre-pandemic ways of working is more challenging — and less desirable — than they initially believed.