'Nope, Not Going Back!' 7 Out Of 10 Working Remotely Say They'd Rather Quit Than Go Back To The Office
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - The coronavirus pandemic has made it possible for millions of employees to work remotely for the first time in their lives and now most are saying they don't want to go back to the old way of doing things.
But as the pandemic winds down and hospitalizations decrease, it is getting down to decision day for those working remotely and their employers, who might want them back in the office.
"Over 70% of workers under 40 said they would leave their job instead of going back," said Evan Hock co-founder of MakeMyMove.
That's from a survey commissioned by MakeMyMove, a company that hooks up remote workers with cities that are looking to attract residents and are willing to provide incentives to make a move.
"These folks are intending to move and they are not going to let their employer stand in the way," said Hock.
The survey said 100% want to maintain some level of remote work, 90% would look for a new job if remote work was revoked. One-third of the over one thousand people surveyed said they were likely to move to continue remote work. All surveyed work from home.
The MakeMyMove website displays cities that will offer incentives to remote workers.
For instance, Stillwater, Oklahoma offers $7,500 to relocate, Morgantown, West Virginia, $20,000 and Natchez, Mississippi, $8,500.
And where do the remote workers want to relocate if possible?
Surprise! For Miami boosters, California 21%, Florida 20%, Georgia 11.3% and Texas 11%.
"Forty-five cities across the country offer some type of incentives for relocation for remote workers," said Hock.
It appears that Florida really does not need to provide individual incentives, with low taxes, weather, and the comparative cost of living. Also, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez understands all that, according to Hock.
"He's a model of how I would expect mayors across the country to begin behaving. He thinks about Miami as a business."
Suarez works on attracting companies that in turn attract remote workers looking for the florida lifestyle.
"If there is a silver lining in the pandemic, it is that it has freed millions of people to chose where they live based on personal preference," adds Hock.
A survey conducted by Upwork predicts 22% of all Americans will be working remotely by the year 2025.