More than one-third of employees still work from home, new research shows

Return-to-office mandates gained steam in 2025, and yet more employees are working from home.

Last year, 35% of employed people did some or all work remotely, up from 33% in 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' latest American Time Use Survey.

Workers with a bachelor's degree or higher were more likely to work from home, at least some of the time. Women were also more likely to work from home than their male counterparts and devote more time to childcare and other household tasks, the survey found.

Other research shows some women also choose occupations that pay less but provide more flexibility to accommodate their family responsibilities, which has contributed to a persistent gender pay gap.

Employers have become stricter about enforcing office attendance, but many employees still push back against return-to-office plans, often resulting in a hybrid work model that is now more the norm than the exception.

Even in an increasingly tight labor market, workers prioritize autonomy and flexibility over the traditional nine-to-five schedule, according to a separate survey by staffing firm Randstad, which polled more than 27,000 workers globally.

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Fuente original: CNBC Top News (https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/01/employees-work-from-home-despite-stricter-policies.html)