76% of American workers say they'd look for a new job if forced to work fully in person, survey finds

"According to FlexJobs' 2025 State of the Workforce Report, 76% of American workers said they would look for a new job if they were no longer allowed to work remotely, based on a survey of 3,000 professionals in the U.S. That's a nearly 20% increase from last year's report, in which 57% of workers said that they would "absolutely" look for another job if they couldn't continue to work remotely."

"And of those looking for jobs, 85% said remote work is the number one factor motivating them to apply for a job, even above salary and benefits and work-life balance. It's unsurprising that remote work has remained popular among American professionals, according to FlexJobs career expert Toni Frana: It offers benefits like "greater work-life balance, more flexibility and even cost savings," she says."

"27% of employees say that they know someone who has quit or is planning to quit due to return-to-office requirements. If your company is pursuing a return-to-office plan, Frana suggests opening a constructive conversation with your manager about what RTO would mean for your role: "What challenges are we trying to address by returning to the office? How will success be measured? Is there any amount of flexibility that would still be offered?""

A FlexJobs 2025 survey of 3,000 U.S. professionals found 76% of American workers would seek a new job if they were no longer allowed to work remotely, up from 57% the prior year. Among job seekers, 85% said remote work is the primary motivator for applying, ranking above salary, benefits, and work-life balance. Remote arrangements provide greater work-life balance, flexibility, and cost savings. Only 2% of surveyed workers prefer full-time office work. Employers continue to enact return-to-office mandates to boost collaboration and visibility, and 27% of employees know someone who quit or plans to quit over RTO. Workers are advised to discuss RTO impacts with managers and present results-based proposals to retain remote options.

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