The report outlined several reasons why employees place a high value on the ability to work remotely, including saving time that would be spent getting ready to go to work and commuting to the office, saving money on commuting and meals, improving productivity and better work-life balance. As such, mentions of remote work on resumes have nearly tripled in LiveCareer’s database to 11% this year from 4% in 2018.

"The data reveals a workplace at a crossroads," said Jasmine Escalera, career expert for LiveCareer. "While many workers predict a rise in return-to-office mandates, their unwavering preference for remote work underscores a fundamental shift in workplace values. Employers who prioritize flexibility and understand these preferences will be better positioned to attract and retain top talent in this evolving landscape."

Some workers are excited about returning to the office, although a majority indicated they would likely seek alternative employment if they were required to return to the office full-time at their current salary, according to an FTI Consulting Inc. survey. One-third of workers said returning to the office would increase productivity, camaraderie and opportunities for collaboration.

Of note, remote and hybrid work arrangements ranked as the fifth most important employment factor among those surveyed by FTI Consulting. Salary and benefits were the most important to employees, followed by enjoying work, health benefits, and vacation and paid time off. Remote work ranked ahead of career opportunities and company culture.

Still, 74% of fully remote workers and 62% of hybrid workers said they’d look for another job if they were required to return to the office full time. Of those currently working remotely, 88% said they would be willing to work a portion of the week in the office, with 33% favoring no more than two days and 29% saying they’d be willing to work in person three to four days per week.

Those most willing to return to the office include people with desk jobs in the architecture and engineering field. About three-quarters in the banking sector, 68% of those in the manufacturing sector and 66% in healthcare were also open to RTO requirements. Employees at large companies are the least likely to seek alternative employment if forced to return to the office full time, while those working for mid-sized companies are most likely to seek alternative employment if given an RTO mandate.

Related: Gap and its brands are latest companies to issue RTO mandates

The report also discovered that geography and age play a role in employee willingness to return to the office. Employees in the Northeast and South were more likely to seek alternative employment compared with those in the West if faced with an RTO mandate. Forty-two percent of Gen Z said they would be excited to work full-time in an office and 33% would be accepting of a possible RTO mandate. However, only one-third of Gen X respondents were excited about returning to the office and only one-quarter are accepting of the possibility. Baby boomers were most likely to stick it out with their employer through an RTO mandate, with only 31% saying they would seek alternative employment.

Finally, workers with children under the age of 18 are more excited to return to the office than those without (41% vs. 31%), the report found.

“This data should send a message to employers and owners of office space that, even though salary and benefits remain the top criteria for people in their jobs, they need to adapt their work environment to appeal to younger employees, as well as those who welcome the opportunity to be more productive and enjoy office camaraderie,” said Ingrid Rivera Noone, a senior managing director and co-leader of the Real Estate Solutions practice at FTI Consulting. “That means if there is going to be a war for top talent, you need to incentivize and ‘amenitize’ your office space to compete effectively. This may require companies to pay more for real estate to attract and retain strong employees as RTO mandates are implemented.”