As the corporate world inches back to traditional workspaces, the welcome 3-year respite from daily commutes, courtesy of the pandemic, is under threat. The once-undeniable perk of skipping the daily commute – a timesaver and stress reducer for many – is now at stake.
According to research, the average American devotes an astonishing 330 hours each year to commuting, time that could be spent on personal pursuits or with family. With this backdrop, Gunther Volvo Cars Coconut Creek launched a study to understand how much employees value their work-from-home (WFH) arrangement and their aversion to resuming the commute.
Surveying 3,000 employees currently working remotely but facing requests to return to the office, either full-time or in a hybrid model, the study posed a straightforward question:
‘How much of your salary would you sacrifice to avoid commuting in 2024?’
It turns out, quite a lot! The average employee in New York is willing to forfeit a staggering $12,693 of their annual salary to escape the commute. This figure not only quantifies the reluctance but also underscores the intrinsic value placed on personal time and the autonomy afforded by WFH setups.
Regional data paints an even more colorful picture of this trend. Californians, dealing with the double whammy of long commutes and enticing paychecks, are leading the charge. They’re game to let go of a hearty $13,759 per year to keep their home coffee brews and casual work attire. They are followed closely by residents of Washington and Utah, willing to let go of $13,017 and $12,843, respectively.
Top 10 States Where Workers Would Sacrifice the Most Salary to Avoid the Commute:
- California: $13,759
- Washington: $13,017
- Utah: $12,843
- New York: $12,693
- Colorado: $12,631
- Maryland: $12,157
- Massachusetts: $11,951
- New Jersey: $11,414
- Louisiana: $11,189
- Rhode Island: $11,107
On the other end of the scale, Montanans appear quite happy to commute again – here they would be prepared to take a salary cut of just $429 in order to continue working from home.
“The results of our survey highlight a shift in priorities. Employees have had a taste of what a commute-free life can be like, and they’re placing a substantial value on that flexibility and time saved”, says Joseph Gunther IV of Gunther Volvo Cars Coconut Creek. “As we navigate forward, it’s important for companies to consider these preferences as part of their strategic planning.”
