Companies are reaching far into their wallets to entice workers back to their desks by paying top dollar to those who will dedicate themselves to a five-day workweek. The average pay for totally in-person employment increased to $82,037 (£64,562) by March 2024, a startling 33% increase over 2023 statistics, according to data acquired by ZipRecruiter and reported by the news.
Employers are using this premium as part of a plan to make up for the decreased flexibility that many workers have been used to since the outbreak. Chief economist at ZipRecruiter Julia Pollak said, “Employers who cannot compete on flexibility will have to compete more aggressively on pay.”
Higher pay is an effective lure, since employees appear more willing to resume their pre-pandemic work hours. One interesting statistic shows that workers who went from entirely remote to totally in-office arrangements received a wage boost of 29.2%, which is almost twice as much as those who went the other way.
Prof. Barbara Petrongolo, professor of economics at the University of Oxford, cautions that the increase in in-office compensation could exacerbate already-existing labor market disparities. “Females predominately choose flexibility when it comes to taking care of others. Thus, certain segments of the labor force are compelled to relinquish prospects for greater compensation if the highest-paying occupations provide less flexibility.”
