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Just one year ago, half of American workers said they would quit rather than accept a forced return-to-office (RTO) mandate. Today, that era is over.
A new MyPerfectResume survey of 1,000 U.S. workers reveals a stunning reversal: Only 7% now say they would quit outright over a mandatory RTO policy, compared to 51% in January 2025.
This dramatic decline signals a shift away from worker leverage toward a new phase of employer control—what many are calling the “Great Compliance.”
Workers are bracing for a future that leans more heavily toward on-site work, tighter oversight, and reduced bargaining power. Remote work is no longer seen as a guarantee. It’s becoming a privilege workers feel they must protect.
Key Findings
- Only 7% of employees say they would quit outright over a mandatory RTO policy, compared to 51% who said the same thing in January 2025.
- 74% of workers predict that they will have the same or less bargaining power to demand flexibility in 2026 as they did in 2025.
- 46% expect companies to become stricter about requiring on-site attendance.
- 73% expect employers to expand their use of surveillance tools to enforce accountability.
- 44% believe at least half of U.S. companies will have eliminated remote work by the end of 2026.
- Workers expect 2026 to tilt back toward the office, with 47% anticipating roles to be wholly or mainly on-site and another 27% expecting a hybrid model to dominate.
Workers Are No Longer Willing to Walk Away
The most striking finding in these return-to-office statistics is the dramatic decline in employee resistance.
When faced with non-negotiable RTO mandates, workers say they would:
- Quit immediately: 7%
- Look for another remote job: 33%
- Comply: 36%
- None of the above: 25%
Compare that to early 2025, when 91% said they would either quit (51%) or search for another remote role (40%).
Why it matters: Economic anxiety is reshaping employee behavior. What was once a deal-breaker is now a calculation rooted in job security, not preference.
Workers Believe Productivity, Not Culture, Drives RTO
When asked what’s fueling the RTO push, workers didn’t blame collaboration or team culture; they blamed economics.
Top perceived drivers:
- Productivity concerns: 48%
- Leadership preference: 18%
- Real-estate cost justification: 11%
- Quiet headcount reduction: 11%
- Culture concerns: 9%
- Other: 3%
Workers also predicted that companies will claim the following benefits from RTO:
- Higher productivity: 38%
- Better collaboration: 22%
- Easier management: 19%
- Stronger culture: 13%
- Better customer service: 7%
Why it matters: Workers overwhelmingly view RTO as a business strategy, not a cultural one. The narrative has shifted away from teamwork toward efficiency, cost control, and management ease.
The 2026 Outlook: More On-Site Work, More Surveillance, Less Power
Employees are bracing for a tougher landscape in 2026—one defined by stricter attendance, more oversight, and less say.
Here’s what they predicted for the year ahead:
- 43% expect more on-site work.
- 40% expect more hybrid arrangements.
- 17% foresee an increase in remote roles.
- 40% say on-site workers will be favored for pay and promotions.
- 44% believe half of U.S. companies will fully eliminate remote work.
- 74% believe their bargaining power will stay the same or decline.
Why it matters: 2026 is shaping up to be a recalibration year. One expectation workers have for the state of the workforce is that employers will reset norms around presence, visibility, and performance—often with technology enforcing compliance.
Surveillance Is Becoming the New Normal
One of the strongest signs of shifting power dynamics is how workers expect companies to enforce attendance and productivity.
73% predict employers will expand surveillance tools in 2026, from keystroke tracking to badge-in monitoring and activity analytics.
Why it matters: Monitoring, once viewed as an overstep, is now anticipated. Workers see surveillance as part of a broader tightening of employer control.
The Era of Worker Leverage Has Ended
The data tells a clear story: The pendulum is swinging back toward employers.
Remote work is being reframed not as a right, but as a negotiated benefit, one that fewer workers feel empowered to defend.
As job security tightens, companies are reclaiming authority over where and how employees work. For millions of workers, 2026 won’t be about resisting RTO. It will be about adapting to it.
For press inquiries, contact Nathan Barber at nathan.barber@bold.com.
Methodology
The findings presented in this report are based on a nationally representative survey conducted by MyPerfectResume using Pollfish in December 2025.
The survey collected responses from 1,000 U.S. adults employed full-time or part-time. Respondents answered a mix of multiple-choice and scaled questions about anticipated workplace trends, RTO mandates, flexibility, incentives, and organizational power dynamics.
Demographic breakdown
The survey sample consisted of 60% identifying as female and 40% as male. Age distribution was broad:
- 8% between 18 and 24 years old
- 13% aged 25–34
- 20% aged 35–44
- 16% aged 45–54
- 17% aged 55–64
- 26% aged 65 or older
In terms of education, 12% of respondents reported holding a graduate degree, 26% had a bachelor’s degree, 16% held an associate degree, 43% had a high school diploma or equivalent, and 4% had less than a high school education.
About MyPerfectResume
MyPerfectResume Resume Builder with professional templates is designed to help job seekers elevate their careers. The easy-to-use platform was created to eliminate the hassle of resume writing, offering professionally written examples, free expert tips, step-by-step guidance to make a resume, and valuable interview advice to create an outstanding job application effortlessly. Since 2012, MyPerfectResume's Resume Builder has helped more than 11 million job seekers create their perfect resumes online. Its comprehensive employment surveys have been featured in Forbes, Yahoo! Finance, CNBC, Newsweek, USA Today, BBC, Workable, and more. Stay connected with MyPerfectResume’s latest Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, X, and Pinterest updates.
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The Great Compliance: Workers Back Down as Employers Regain Power in 2026
Jasmine is certified career coach and recognized expert in job search strategy. She is committed to helping job seekers navigate the job market and succeed in their careers.
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