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United States

The way we work is forever changed. In Owl Labs’ 8th Annual State of Hybrid Work report, we'll uncover the latest trends and topics when it comes to hybrid, remote, and in-office work.

Introduction

In the past four years, the way we work has undergone a revolution that shattered nearly 100 years of previous working tradition. Hybrid work proved to be a necessity, then it became a trend, and now some consider it to be the “norm”. While many saw it as a real opportunity for a work-life balance - among many other benefits - others argued that it instead created a new set of workplace issues.

Employers started offering new and improved benefits to draw employees back to the physical office – or so they thought. When that failed, some began forced “return to office” mandates. Employees, on the other hand, made it clear that flexibility would be non-negotiable. We then entered a phase of quiet quitting and stealth management, with managers offering flexible work to their own teams to retain talent, often going against company rules. In other cases, employees started to get creative. Trends like polyworking and coffee badging emerged as employees wanted to maintain flexibility and keep their jobs.

This is where we arrive for Owl Labs’ 8th Annual State of Hybrid Work report. We'll explore the latest trends, dive into what flexible work means today – to both employees and employers – and uncover the surprising factors shaping the future of work. Join us as we peel back the layers of the workplace, discover how to thrive in this ever-evolving landscape, and identify future trends that you’ll need to keep an eye on.

Key Findings

  1. After our 2023 State of Hybrid Work report made it go viral, coffee badging remains popular with 44% of workers still participating in this trend, with 70% admitting they’ve been caught by their employers.

  2. 62% of respondents work full-time in-office, compared to 66% in 2023 – a slight downshift.

  3. 27% of workers are actively looking to change jobs, up from 23% in 2023.

  4. Over 1 in 4 workers (28%) are “polyworking” with at least one additional job.

  5. Hybrid workers say they spend an average of $42 more per day when they work from the office versus remotely.

  6. Over one-third (34%) of workers admit to posting about their job or employer negatively on social media.

  7. 45% of workers said their employers' or colleagues' political opinions make them not want to go into the office.

  8. 24% of workers say they use AI tools daily, with an additional 23% of workers using them multiple times a day.

  9. Work anxiety is on the rise with 43% saying their stress levels increased compared to last year.

  10. 1 in 4 workers (25%) said their company changed its remote or hybrid working policy in the last year.

  11. 22% of workers expect a pay increase if they could no longer work hybrid or remote, and 40% would look for a new job that offered more flexibility.

  12. 46% of workers said their company added or increased use of employee productivity or activity monitoring software in the past year.

  13. 58% of workers say they “calendar block” to protect their time.

  14. Workcations or “quiet vacationing” may be on the rise, with 58% of employees working remotely from places besides a home office or coworking space.

  15. 75% of workers believe their employers are requiring them to work from the office due to traditional expectations, up from 69% in 2023.

  16. 1 in 5 workers (22%) are instilling greater boundaries by not taking on work outside of their specific job descriptions.

Current conditions

A lot has changed in just one year. The push and pull of return-to-office mandates remain present, job listings are now very clear on in-office requirements, and employees are willing to quit jobs either outright, or quietly, if their employers aren’t meeting their expectations.

Trends like coffee badging and polyworking still remain popular, but we’re seeing new trends present themselves with regularity – in 2024, we’ve seen: the blend of work and social, coined #WorkTok, WFB (Work-From-Bed; formerly known as the “sick day”), calendar blocking (protecting your calendar with pretend meetings) and the “workcation.”

Despite anecdotal narratives that “everyone’s back at the office” now, we learned that 27% of workers are currently working in a hybrid format - up one percentage point from 2023 - and 11% are fully remote - an increase from 7% in 2023. Three remains the most popular number of days in-office for hybrid workers, with 41% of hybrid workers saying that’s how often they go, though only 33% said this matches their preferences.

How are workers working?

Appendix: Background + Demographics

Owl Labs surveyed 2,000 full-time workers in the United States, ages 18+, at companies with 2+ employees. This survey data was collected in July of 2024 with third-party data and research agency, Vitreous World.

Gender

Male: 47%
Female: 53%

Generation

Gen Z [18-27] (11%)
Millennials [28-43] (52%)
Gen X [44-55] (24%)
Boomers [56+] (13%)

Geographic Location

20% Northeast
44% South
17% Midwest
19% West

Caretaker role

60% I have children living at home some or all of the time
12% I have children, but they are no longer living at home
27% I do not have children
1% Prefer not to say

Company size

Small (2-99 employees) (21%)
Medium (100-999 employees) (38%)
Large (1,000-4,999 employees) (26%)
Enterprise (5,000+ employees) (15%)

Role

Manager: 69%
Individual Contributor: 31%

Worker type

In-office (62%)
Hybrid (27%)
Remote (11%)

About Owl Labs

Owl Labs is the first company to build AI-powered, 360-degree video conferencing solutions for hybrid organizations. Its connected device system and Owl Intelligence System software make meetings more inclusive and collaborative by leveling the playing field between remote and in-room participants. The Meeting Owl 4+ is the latest generation of the first WiFi-enabled, 360-degree camera, microphone, and speaker that automatically zooms in on whoever's speaking. Owl Labs has raised $47 million in funding and is based in Boston, with remote and hybrid employees all over the world. To learn more and explore the company's research on the State of Hybrid Work, visit owllabs.com.