US employees prefer employability over remote work

• Paid commute (83.2%)
• On-site gym or wellness facilities (77.1%)
• More social time with co-workers (76%)
• Charitable contributions (75.7%)
• Four-day work week (in-office) [74.1%]
• Social events (72.4%)
• Free lunch (70.2%)

Preference for flexibility, pay raise

Employees’ demand for flexibility also became more apparent as the report found that 62% prefer greater control over their working hours than a higher salary.

It also found that 61% of workers prefer less stress over higher pay, and that 41% have already taken pay cuts for lower-stress jobs.

Despite this, the report found that a pay raise remains the top retention driver for employees (79%). This is followed by professional development (74%) and sharing the same vision and values with company leadership (74%).

“What really stands out in the Randstad Workmonitor survey is the growing emphasis on flexibility, wellbeing, and setting boundaries. These factors are becoming just as critical, if not more, for employers looking to attract and retain talent,” Julien said.

“Organisations that recognise and adapt to these evolving trade-offs will not only attract stronger talent, they’ll build the kind of trust and loyalty that drives long-term performance.”