By Kevin Estes

Recent Poll Results

The results of a recent LinkedIn poll were fascinating! 😲

What’s the best way to work?

32% Remote

60% Hybrid

8% In Person

0% Not sure

Hot Takes

No-one - 0 out of 119 voters - was uncertain about their response! (The survey ran for a week: 9/15-9/22/2023.)

These were the most responses I’ve received on a LinkedIn poll to date. This poll struck a nerve!

That only 8% of respondents felt in person was the best way to work floored me (no pun intended).

• 4x voted for remote than in person

• 7.5x voted for hybrid than in person

Who Responded

Some context may help:

• A plurality of voters were T-Mobile employees.

• The sample included essentially no front-line workers such as healthcare professionals or retail store employees.

• The median title was manager.

Why the Response?

My hunch is that people like the following about working remotely:

• Schedule flexibility

• Cost savings

• Additional time

• Improved focus

• Health benefits

Schedule Flexibility

People like the flexibility to:

• let the contractor into their home,

• drop off / pick up the kids from school,

• let the dog out,

• take out the trash…

Cost Savings

Different studies on the annual cost of commuting range from $3,000 to $9,000. Given the rise in automobile and fuel prices since the pandemic, it may be on the higher side.

Also, being forced to work from home taught many of us that previous estimates based on cost per mile may have been low.

For many families, it’s not just the cost of driving. It’s the cost of owning a second auto! 🚘

Additional Time

The average one-way commute in 2019 was 27.6 minutes.

Multiplying by two comes to nearly an hour getting to and from work each day. ⏱

Improved Focus

The office work environment can be distracting!

• Coworkers often have questions they could answer themselves

Can I Google that for you?

• Supervisors discuss opportunities before thinking them through.

• Don’t get me started on meeting about meetings. 🤣

There’s a reason so many people wear oversized headsets that the office can look like a silent disco!

Health Benefits

There are also health benefits of working remotely:

• Someone can reduce how much time they sit on their duff in traffic.

• Tough meetings are easier to shake off with a chance to take a breathe.

• Someone can do quick workouts throughout the day… which would be awkward in the office.

• There are opportunities to pet the cat 😸 or go for a walk around the block to destress.

People Still Want In-Person Interaction

Nearly twice as many respondents preferred hybrid to remote.

Respondents appreciate connecting in person…
just not all the time!

For many, having some workdays that are social and others that are focused seems to strike a wonderful balance.

What’s Do You Think?

Do you have a different interpretation of these poll results?
If so, please let me know!

If having the flexibility to design your work schedule is appealing, let’s meet to prioritize your finances.

Disclaimer

In addition to the usual disclaimers, neither this post nor this image includes any financial, tax, or legal advice.