Return-to-office mandates may no longer be a dealbreaker for American workers.
That’s the upshot of recent research by Dutch recruiting and talent firm Randstad.
In a survey of 750 U.S. workers, 63% said they’re unlikely to quit their jobs if their employers ask them to report to the workplace three or more days a week.
More important than the option to work remotely, according to the study, is the concept of “employability,” which Randstad defined as “the ability to stay skilled, relevant and secure in a changing job landscape.” To wit: 70% of respondents said they’d prefer greater employability over the ability to work remotely.
The research may mark a reversal in worker preferences amid shifting economic conditions over the last few months. The Pew Research Center in January, for instance, reported that “many American workers say they’d rather find a new job than give up working from home.”
“While remote work was a priority for talent at the beginning of 2025, we’re seeing a shift,” said Randstad North America CEO Marc-Etienne Julien in an email to CFO.com. “As the economic outlook becomes more uncertain, the majority of American workers are now prioritizing employability over remote work. It’s not that they no longer value remote work, it’s that they’re starting to weigh it against other factors that affect their future.”
At the same time, respondents in Randstad’s study were apparently willing to trade higher pay for less stress. “The survey also indicated that workers are moving away from high-stress positions, with almost two-thirds (61%) of respondents preferring less stress over higher pay, and nearly half (41%) saying they have already taken pay cuts for lower-stress jobs,” the report stated.
When it comes to retention, though, pay still matters: Randstad found a pay raise was the “top retention driver” for 79% of respondents. It’s worth noting, too, that retention factors appeared to differ among industries. “When asked what would influence them to stay in their current role for five years, annual pay raises in line with or above inflation are more important to manufacturing workers (90%) than to any other industry, highlighting how financial stability is the foundation of long-term loyalty in this sector,” the survey said.
“In today’s uncertain economic environment, it’s no surprise that employability remains a top priority to workers,” Randstad’s Julien said in a news release. “But what really stands out… is the growing emphasis on flexibility, wellbeing and setting boundaries. These factors are becoming just as critical, if not more, for employers looking to attract and retain talent.”
Though American workers may not give up their jobs over a return-to-office mandate, they’re still asking for more flexibility in other ways. For instance, Randstad’s survey of U.S. workers found 63% expect “more flexibility with work hours” if they’re asked to report to the office on a full-time basis. About 62% said they’d expect more paid time off and a higher salary if working in the office full time.
Randstad surveyed American workers across 17 industries. Most of them were white-collar workers (41%), followed by grey-collar (34%) and blue-collar (25%).
The findings derive from Randstad’s wider Workmonitor Pulse survey, which was conducted between late March and mid-April. That annual survey queried 5,250 workers in Australia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
