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MRA’s Latest Hot Topic Survey Shows 62 Percent of Organizations Allow Remote Work
MILWAUKEE, WI (July 6, 2022) — MRA’s latest Hot Topic Survey on Remote Work and Inflation shows that remote work has become one of the most valued benefits companies can offer. Of 421 organizations that participated in the survey, 62 percent allow remote work for some, if not all, of their employees, while 13 percent do not offer remote options. The remaining 26 percent offer an option for remote work upon approval and under limited circumstances.
“Remote work is a benefit that could mean the difference between a candidate accepting or declining an offer. Candidates are asking for remote options even within their first interactions or interviews, so companies ought to have a plan in place,” said Kathy Seidel, MRA Manager, Recruiting Services. “It may also influence a current employee’s decision to stay or look for other options. Certainly, it’s something that employers and employees are considering.”
Survey responses also show work-from-home options are addressed at different stages of the recruiting process. A third of employers include the option for remote or hybrid work in some job postings, with an additional 8 percent including it for all postings.
MRA’s survey found no noticeably dominant hybrid work arrangement among surveyed companies. Results show:
- 61% offer hybrid, work from home 2 days/week
- 50% are completely remote
- 49% offer hybrid, work from home 1 day/week
- 49% offer hybrid, work from home 3 days/week
- 39% report to the office only as needed
(Numbers do not total 100 percent as some companies offer multiple options for remote work).
Of those working from home, schedules are determined primarily by business needs and meetings (59 percent), with managers influencing the schedule 49 percent of the time and employees determining which days will be worked in the office 41 percent of the time. A rotating schedule is less common (19 percent).
Although most companies are offering some type of work-from-home option, only 20 percent offer to help with home office equipment or supply expenses.
When asked if the company plans to return everyone to the office in the future, 88 percent indicated they plan to continue the current remote work arrangement. Only 6 percent plan to return by the end of the year, and 6 percent plan to return but no date has been determined.
MRA’s Hot Topic Survey also asked organizations about their response to the impact of inflation through compensation. Thirty-one percent of organizations offered adjustments to pay due to inflation—either on top of merit increases or in addition to merit increases.
Some organizations are offering other incentives to help relieve the impact of inflation. The top three incentives are:
- More work-from-home options (16%)
- Gas cards (13%)
- Spot bonuses (10%)
“We will continue to see changes to work arrangements and greater flexibility offered by organizations to attract and retain employees,” added Seidel. “Remote work is here to stay and it’s something employers will need to consider to prevent top talent from leaving.”
For this Hot Topic Survey, 421 organizations participated in the nine-question survey conducted June 15-22, 2022. To see the full survey results or more MRA Hot Topic Surveys, visit the MRA website.
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About MRA—The Management Association: Founded in 1901, MRA is a nonprofit employer association that serves 4,000 employers, covering more than 1 million employees worldwide. As one of the largest employer associations in the nation, MRA helps its members thrive by offering comprehensive HR services, talent management, learning and organization development opportunities, and total rewards planning. MRA helps organizations build a successful workplace and powerful workforce. Headquartered in Wisconsin, MRA has regional offices in Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota. To learn more about MRA, visit www.mranet.org.
