The concept of hybrid work has come a long way since the early days of the pandemic. What started as a temporary solution has turned into a defining feature of modern employment, but even in 2025, there’s no single definition of what hybrid really means. For some, it’s a predictable two or three days in the office. For others, it’s a constantly shifting schedule driven by meetings, management preferences, or project demands. And for most, it’s still a work in progress, marked by a push for more flexibility and autonomy.
To understand how hybrid work functions today, we surveyed workers across a range of industries and job types. We asked them how often they’re required to go into the office, how much control they have over those decisions, and what their ideal work arrangement would look like. We also examined how these preferences vary by age, experience, and industry.
The results paint a detailed picture of a workforce navigating evolving expectations—and not always getting the flexibility they want. Below, we break down the state of hybrid work in 2025, from in-office patterns and productivity habits to the perks employees are (and aren’t) willing to trade for more control.
Hybrid Work Schedules in 2025
For all the talk of flexibility, most hybrid workers still don’t call the shots. Just 9% say they have total control over which days they work at home vs. in person, while 83% report their schedule is dictated by tasks, managers, or leadership. Only about a third (36%) experience what they’d describe as “balanced control” – choosing between remote and in-person about half the time.
Younger workers are the least empowered. Only 12% of Gen Z hybrid employees set their own schedule, and they’re also the most likely to report having little to no control over which days they work remotely vs. in the office (40%). When asked what they would prefer to change about their current hybrid schedule, their preferences are split—38% want fewer in-person days, but 14% want more.
Experience seems to grant more autonomy. Hybrid workers with 5+ years under their belt are nearly twice as likely to have complete schedule control compared to those with just 1–2 years of experience (12% vs. 7%). They’re also the most satisfied with their current routine—39% say they wouldn’t change a thing.
Some groups, however, are far from satisfied. Government employees are more than twice as likely as workers in other industries to say they have no control over their hybrid schedule (16%). Not surprisingly, they’re also among the most eager to go fully remote—43% say that setup would be ideal.
In general, hybrid workers want fewer in-office days. Nearly half (48%) say their ideal schedule includes just 1–2 in-person days a week. Another 30% would go fully remote if given the chance. Only 2% want to work from the office all five days.
Three days in the office is now the norm — 58% of hybrid workers say they’re required to go in at least three days a week. That number climbs to 69% among Gen Z. Industry expectations vary: hybrid government and healthcare workers report the fewest in-office days, averaging just two per week, while hybrid employees in engineering, sales/marketing, and education are typically expected to be in the office around three days a week.
**Tuesday and Wednesday **dominate across the board as the most popular in-office days. Fridays are the least popular—only 30% of hybrid employees typically show up. For those in hybrid roles for less than six months, Mondays (80%) and Tuesdays (78%) are especially common office days.
Office routines also shift depending on the field. Engineering and education professionals tend to cluster their in-person days earlier in the week. Meanwhile, government workers are more likely to show up on Thursdays than on Mondays or Wednesdays.
Hybrid flexibility doesn’t always mean fewer hours. A full 43% of workers say they occasionally put in more time after coming home from the office. Another 31% say they do so multiple times a week, and 10% say it happens nearly every time. Baby Boomers and men are the most likely to bring work home, while** Gen Z** and government employees are the most likely to rarely or never do so.
How Much Do Employees Appreciate Their Flexibility?
For many hybrid workers, flexibility isn’t just a perk—it’s a non-negotiable. On average, employees say it would take a 25% salary bump to get them back in the office full-time. That number jumps to 27% for Millennials, who are especially resistant to losing remote options, while those newer to hybrid work (6 months or less) are slightly more willing to return for less (19%).
But while going remote is appealing to most, going fully in-person is where many draw the line. Nearly 40% of hybrid workers say they’d be very excited to go fully remote, while only 8% say they’d leave their job if that happened. In contrast, 45% say they’d actively look for new work if required to return to the office five days a week.
Millennials are leading the remote revolution. Nearly half (43%) say they’d be thrilled to go remote, and 50% say they’d quit over a full in-office mandate. ** Gen Z**, on the other hand, is more divided. Only 27% say they’d be very excited about going fully remote—the lowest of any generation—and 17% would actually be disappointed to lose in-person time. Interestingly, they’re also the generation most likely to say they’d quit if their role became fully remote (13%).
Preferences shift across industries, too. Hybrid government and healthcare workers show some of the strongest pro-remote sentiment. Over half of government workers (57%) say they’d be very excited to go remote, and 53% say they’d be very unhappy with a full in-person shift. Healthcare workers show nearly identical patterns. Experience also plays a role in how flexible employees want—or tolerate—their schedules to be. Those with 5+ years of hybrid work experience are more likely to stay neutral on workplace changes: only 21% say they’d be very excited about going remote, and 24% feel indifferent about returning full-time. In contrast, those newer to hybrid work (6–11 months in) are much more reactive—51% would quit over a full in-office mandate, and 14% would quit if forced fully remote.
When it comes to incentives, hybrid still wins out. Given a choice between a 5-day hybrid schedule or a 4-day in-office week, 65% of hybrid workers opt to keep the flexibility. Only 35% are willing to shorten the week if it means giving up remote days.
Gen Z is the most open to a condensed, in-person schedule—38% would take that deal. Meanwhile, only 31% of Baby Boomers and 30% of seasoned hybrid workers (5+ years) are interested in trading flexibility for time. Even popular workplace perks can’t easily lure workers back in. Most hybrid employees (56%) wouldn’t give up remote work for unlimited PTO. Gen Z is a bit of an outlier here—51% say they’d take the tradeoff. Among industries, only engineering professionals showed a majority support for returning in exchange for unlimited PTO (55%).
Even free healthcare isn’t enough to sway most workers. When asked if they’d return to the office full time in exchange for free, company-provided healthcare, only 46% said yes. Millennials (58%), women (57%), and those with over five years of hybrid experience (58%) are the most likely to turn down the offer.
Newer hybrid workers, though, are more easily swayed. Among those with under six months of experience, 55% would return for unlimited PTO, and 60% would do so for free healthcare.
Sales and marketing professionals also stand out as more persuadable—54% say they’d give up hybrid work in exchange for free company-provided healthcare.
Where Are Hybrid Workers Most Productive?
Despite all the debate about where employees work best, the productivity difference between home and office is nearly nonexistent. Hybrid workers report logging an average of 6 hours and 42 minutes of productive time at home, compared to 6 hours and 44 minutes in the office. It’s a mere two-minute difference, suggesting that being physically present doesn’t necessarily lead to better performance.
Still, most hybrid employees have a clear preference: 61% say they feel most productive when working remotely. But **Gen Z **workers buck the trend. They’re almost evenly split, with 46% saying they’re most productive at home and 47% favoring the office. They’re also the most willing to explore third spaces like cafés or coworking spots—7% say those environments work best for them.
Only 35% of hybrid workers say the office is where they’re most productive — and the longer someone has worked hybrid, the more likely they are to thrive remotely. Among workers with 3–4 years of hybrid experience, 64% say they’re most productive at home, compared to just 47% of those with less than a year of experience. Newer hybrid employees also report lower productivity overall, averaging just 5 hours and 56 minutes of work per day when working from home.
Industry also plays a role in productivity preferences.** Government workers** strongly favor remote work, citing it as their most productive setup. In contrast, employees in engineering, education, and **sales/marketing **report being more productive in-office.
Among all groups, sales and marketing professionals are putting in the most in-office time. They average 7 hours and 12 minutes of productive work daily when onsite, beating every other segment surveyed.
For many hybrid employees, going into the office isn’t about preference—it’s about expectations. **Most say they show up in person because certain tasks require it (51%) **or because their boss expects it (49%). Only 17% go in because they genuinely prefer working there, and just 28% say the office helps them be more productive.
Why Don’t Hybrid Workers Want to Work In-office?
When it comes to working in the office, the commute remains the top complaint. A full 65% of hybrid workers cite it as a major deterrent to in-office work, followed by added expenses like gas and food (58%). Distractions in the office environment are another common gripe, with 40% of employees pointing to it as a frustration. Nearly one-third (30%) say they actually get less done at the office compared to working from home.
Younger workers feel the strain more acutely. Gen Z is the most likely to go in due to guilt over too much time at home (22%) or pressure to be visible to leadership (32%). They also report being particularly bothered by in-office meetings (43%), dress codes (31%), and showing up only to find the office empty (21%). Remote work, however, comes with itBolds own set of issues. Lack of human interaction (40%) tops the list of remote challenges, followed by difficulties separating work and home life (31%) and distractions at home (30%). Gen Z again leads in remote struggles—47% report frequent distractions, 44% say they feel isolated, and 17% lack a dedicated workspace. Pressure to go into the office—even when it’s not required—is also widespread. About 42% of hybrid workers say they feel some kind of external push to be onsite: 26% from leadership, 6% from coworkers, and 10% from both. Some industries are especially affected. Healthcare professionals are the most likely to feel isolated while working remotely (45%) and to report pressure from leadership (36%). Sales and marketing professionals experience the most dual-source pressure—12% say they feel it from both leadership and coworkers. They’re also the group most likely to report blurred work-life boundaries at home (40%). Tenure also shapes these experiences. Newer hybrid workers (less than six months in) are more likely to struggle with isolation (53%), productivity (25%), and a lack of a proper home office setup (20%). Meanwhile, workers with 3–4 years of hybrid experience are the most affected by difficulties separating work from personal life (33%).
Hybrid Work in 2025: Employees Want Flexibility, Not Perks or Pay
Despite pandemic-era work flexibility becoming the new normal, employees in 2025 are increasingly caught between employer mandates and their own preferences. Our latest survey of hybrid employees reveals that most workers still have limited control over their schedules—just 9% fully determine when they work remotely versus in the office.
But they deeply value flexibility. Workers say abandoning hybrid work and returning to the office full-time would require a 25% raise on average. Surprisingly, even unlimited PTO or free healthcare isn’t enough to persuade most to relinquish their flexible schedules.
Gen Z faces unique pressures, navigating stricter schedules and less control. Yet they're split—craving fewer in-office days while simultaneously expressing that they receive the highest distractions from working remotely.
Employers considering a mandatory return-to-office should proceed cautiously. Nearly half of hybrid workers (45%) say they'd leave their job if forced back to full-time office work. Employees appear to have a new definition of an ideal workweek: Tuesday and Wednesday in-office, Mondays increasingly optional, and Fridays consistently unpopular.
Perhaps most notably, the belief that productivity requires an in-office presence is challenged. Employees report near-identical productivity levels working from home or in the office—both averaging around 6.7 hours of actual work in an 8-hour workday. Clearly, the future of hybrid work in 2025 points toward a more flexible workforce, and companies resistant to this shift may face serious retention challenges.
“Hybrid work and in-office work both have their own set of pros and cons depending on the person," said Nicholas Roarty, Chief Operations Officer at Employers.io. “What it all boils down to is as employees want flexibility, remote and hybrid work are likely here to stay.”
For job seekers looking for roles that align with today’s flexible work culture, Employers.io offers a smarter way to find your next opportunity. Explore jobs that match your lifestyle and work preferences today.
Methodology
To determine the state of hybrid work in 2025, we surveyed 1,525 hybrid working Americans over a week in April 2025. We got insight into their current work schedules, ideal work preferences, perceptions of productivity, and the challenges they face at home and in the office.
Respondents represented a range of industries, experience levels, and age groups, allowing us to analyze how hybrid work experiences vary across different demographics. All percentages reflect the share of respondents who selected each response option, and any generational or industry-specific findings are based on statistically significant sample sizes.