I started this blog at my desk in GWI’s New York office, and finished it from my desk at home a few days later. Seems fitting for a blog about working from home, right?
Hybrid work schedules are commonplace these days, with business professionals coming into offices only a few times a week to meet with colleagues, team members, and clients. Some companies, like Spotify, have doubled down on remote work, while other companies are pushing for throwback pre-Covid working routines with a return to the office full-time.
So, why some companies and not others? Tech adoption and office culture play a role, but there’s definitely more going on under the surface. That’s why insights and trends about the state of work in 2025 are more relevant than ever.
Here are some of the top work from home vs. office trends we’ll be digging into:
The post-pandemic shift from working in-office changed more than just commute times - it’s even had an impact on where some consumers choose to live.
More than 6 out of 10 business professionals live in urban areas and closer to their offices.
The hybrid work model has taken off with over half the workforce (51%) splitting their time between home and the office.
The number of full-time employees living in rural areas has grown 43% since 2019 – especially in the ages 21-30 crowd - who are 26% more likely to make the move. Some of this age group never even experienced the 9-to-5 office routine, so living close to work? Not exactly a priority.
Six years ago, 68% of business professionals said they used phone/video conferencing tools. Today, that’s jumped to 79%. This constant rise in virtual meetings has definitely made working from home easier, giving more consideration to suburban and rural areas.
Hybrid working isn’t anything new - nearly 1 in 5 (17%) can be considered early adopters, having worked hybrid models in 2019.
Only 6 years later, and over half of workers are hybrid. Flexibility can no longer be advertised as a perk or benefit - it’s an expectation for business professionals now.
Hybrid work is more common in Asia-Pacific and Latin American markets where 53% and 46% of business professionals work on hybrid schedules.
There are a few possible explanations for this. Business professionals in these regions are more likely to live in highly congested and dense urban areas where commuting to the office is possible, but maybe not an everyday requirement.
Compared to workers in North America and Europe, they’re also more likely to say that their companies are excellent or good at making effective use of tech products/services, so the remote experience might be a bit more seamless for them as well.
But region isn’t the only distinguishing factor for hybrid working. Seniority also plays its part - and it might not be who you’re expecting.
Currently, 60% of middle managers work remotely, with executive management (57%) not far behind. Junior managers and other professionals (e.g. analysts) are less likely to work remote, with only 48% doing so. And these employees aren’t going to be found working remotely full-time either - 43% say they work exclusively in the office.
This can be interpreted as a worrying statistic, but it might be more complicated than that. Junior employees are less likely to rate their workplace culture highly compared to more senior personnel, and they may want to come into the office to build rapport with their teams and colleagues.
At the same time, when there’s a gap - like seniors working remotely and junior staff working in-office - it can create some feelings of inequality. Junior employees who say they’re not allowed to work remotely are 10% more likely than the average junior employee to say they’re looking for a new job. So, workplaces may benefit from having uniform policies across seniority levels.
With so many moving pieces - hybrid schedules, seniority gaps, and workplace dynamics - it’s clear that the future of work is still evolving. So, what are the big trends shaping 2025? Let’s dive into five insights you need to know.
Fans of remote work are quick to highlight one major perk: personal time.
Improved work-life balance is tied for the top benefit of working from home, along with having more time on their hands (34%). Urban workers get to skip the chaos of congested roads and packed trains, while those who traded city life for the suburbs and rural areas don’t have to worry about a lengthy commute.
It’s no surprise this perk resonates across the board. Both executive management and junior managers/professionals agree it’s the best part of remote work, too. They may be at different stages of life, but if employees on opposite ends of the career spectrum can agree on something, everyone wins.
Improved work-life balance and having more time aren’t the only benefits of working from home - increased productivity is as well, and no one is happier about this benefit than middle management.
Middle managers wear many hats. They’re responsible for teams, their own day-to-day work, and have to make executive management happy. It’s safe to say their calendars have a lot of red in them, but they still manage to be productive in remote settings.
Increased productivity is their top benefit of remote work, and they’re also 15% more likely to say this now than they were in 2022. One of their standout responsibilities is project management, and 63% of middle managers use project management tools (e.g. Trello, JIRA), 17% higher than the average business professional.
Even if middle managers become more comfortable and skillful with the tools to make remote work easier, businesses should continue to review and invest in their tech stack to ensure they have the right tools to make remote work as efficient as possible.
Remote/hybrid work doesn’t come without challenges. Even benefits like having more time can also be a negative. One downside to working from home? Overworking.
76% of remote employees say they’ve worked late, overtime, or checked messages outside of working hours at least once in the past week.
And this increases based on seniority. About 26% of remote workers say they’re working longer hours than before - especially middle management, who are 20% more likely to say this. While employees may be happier and more productive now, companies need to keep an eye on the big picture to prevent burnout in the long term. This is especially important in industries known for having longer, tougher hours like consultancy or banking.
This is where culture comes into play. Businesses should set clear expectations for remote employees, promote healthy lifestyles, and encourage better time management strategies.
Remote work has its challenges but here’s the bright side: these employees are the most likely to say they're satisfied with their jobs. In fact, any level of remote work typically means happier employees than those who are exclusively in-office.
When looking closer at how employees in each workplace policy rate their current companies, we can see the strengths of each one.
While working in the office boosts perks like communication and culture, working from home helps with morale. It's all about balance and bringing the best of both worlds together. But here’s the twist: remote employees - you know, the ones most satisfied with their jobs - are also the most likely to be looking for a new one.
Why? Partly because many of those who work in sectors that are more likely to be working from home also have high turnover - think advertising, environment, and management consulting.
But also with remote work, employees don’t need to relocate for work. And with no obligation to stay close to the office, they may spend more time looking for the greenest pasture possible - even if they’re satisfied at their current job. Likewise, the lack of personal contact could be a deal breaker for more socially-inclined employees who thrive off of regular check–ins and stimulation.
There’s no one-size-fits-all workplace policy. It’s just too complex. Forcing everyone back into the office full-time might alienate people who love the flexibility of remote or hybrid setups. But going fully remote can leave others feeling disconnected from their teams and company culture.
What our data does show is that employees who work exclusively remote or in-office are generally happy where they are now, and the status quo should remain for the time being.
However, while 47% of mostly in-office workers are happy with the current setup, an equal amount say they want to switch to some sort of remote model.
Over 3 in 10 mostly remote employees want to be remote full-time.
Finding the right balance is tricky for businesses in the age of hybrid work, but so many workers have already adjusted their lives to accommodate their company’s workplace policy that any changes can feel like a few steps back, even if well-intentioned.
Hybrid schedules and working from home existed before the pandemic, but it wasn’t the standard that we see today. What was once a niche option is now reshaping how we define work.
Remote employees are happy about the reclaimed time they have from not having to commute, but this can be a double-edged sword, as boundaries are less visible and defined in the remote office.
At the same time, there are still benefits to seeing co-workers at the office. Collaboration, communication, and culture get a boost, but things like work-life balance and morale are higher among remote and mostly remote workers.
Chances are, the policy your company has set in place now is probably what employees want. They’ve gotten used to it, and productivity is becoming more efficient and streamlined. But companies should be taking regular pulse checks on their policy. Not everyone can be pleased, but they can find ways to find some middle ground and give employees flexibility without compromising the benefits of remote or office life.