New Eden Report Reveals Hybrid Work is Top Preference Among Tech Employees

When asked why tech workers stay in their current roles, Eden’s survey found that flexibility ranked higher than pay.

Eden, the HR and workplace software provider for people-centric companies,revealed new third-party research highlighting the latest findings regarding worker preferences in the tech industry –– some of which contradict the popular narratives around how tech employees like to work.

Eden’s Where Tech Works Report surveyed 1,000 full-time, U.S.-based information workers in the technology industry to understand their work preferences, challenges and priorities. Some of the results challenged common stereotypes of tech workers – including that full-time remote work was the least popular option for tech workers (18%), though the vast majority (95%) say it’s very important or slightly important to have the ability to work remotely at least occasionally. The survey also found that 64% of tech employees who work remotely full or part-time say it would take more than a 20% pay increase to get them to work in-office 5 days a week, signaling that hybrid work arrangements are the new normal in the modern workplace. Perhaps most surprising, the favored work policy for Gen-Z was fully in-office, while the most popular work policy for Baby Boomers in tech was fully remote.

“It’s clear from our Where Tech Works Report that the vast majority of employees in the tech industry prefer hybrid work, and it’s imperative that companies consider this when it comes to recruiting and hiring, developing return to office plans, performance management, and all aspects of the employee experience,” said Joe Du Bey, co-founder and CEO of Eden. “The most successful hybrid companies are methodical and deliberate in designing their employee experience, and this approach is especially critical for tech companies to thrive in today’s overheated labor market.”

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A summary of key findings from Eden’s Where Tech Works Report include:

• Tech employees want to work in different ways. When asked about their preferred way of working, hybrid work was the most popular option among tech workers: nearly half (48%) of respondents said they prefer hybrid work, compared to 34% who selected full-time in-office and 18% who said full-time remote.
• Even though full-time remote is the least popular work preference for tech workers, they still value having the option. Nearly all (95%) of respondents say it’s very or somewhat important to have the ability to work remotely – 63% of whom say a remote work option is very important, and not having the ability to work remotely would be a deal breaker. In fact, 64% of tech employees who currently work remotely full- or part-time say it would take more than a 20% pay increase to get them to work in-office 5 days a week.
• Tech employees’ ideal work preferences are aligned with their actual work situations. 88% of currently hybrid employees prefer to work hybrid, while 87% of currently full-time in-office employees prefer to work full-time in the office and 83% of currently full-time remote employees prefer to work remotely full-time. This indicates that the majority of tech workers have already sought out employers that match their work style preferences.
• Tech workers value the work-life balance afforded by flexible work options. When asked about the top reason for staying in their current job, tech employees noted that flexibility was their No. 1 motivator, even ranking higher than pay. Respondents cited the flexibility for at-home responsibilities (37%), flexibility for childcare and/or other family member care (28%) and the office commute wasting too much time (22%) as the top benefits of remote work.

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• Mentorship, collaboration and connection are among the top challenges of remote work in the tech industry. Lack of community, camaraderie and fun among teams and companies (44%), difficulty communicating and collaborating with colleagues (35%) and fewer mentorship opportunities (26%) are the top challenges of remote work among surveyed tech employees. When asked how they feel about their sense of community with colleagues over the past two years, hybrid tech employees were much more likely to say it felt stronger (57%) than fully remote tech workers (35%).
• Gen Z tech workers want to go to the office, but boomers want to stay home. Gen Z tech workers’ No. 1 work preference is working full-time in the office, while the millennials (50%) and Gen X (47%) of tech prefer hybrid work arrangements. 42% of baby boomers cited full-time remote work as their preferred arrangement, signaling a generational divide in work preferences in the tech industry.

“Our survey reveals that tech employees are heterogenous in their preferences, and as a result, companies would benefit from a flexible approach to retain top talent,” said Du Bey. “The most successful scaled companies are incorporating hybrid policies and the most effective corresponding tools, such as desk booking software, to ensure they are employee-centric. We are excited to continue partnering with leading companies of all sizes to help them better navigate the future of work.”

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