President Donald Trump made it abundantly clear on the campaign trail that he’s no fan of remote work.
Almost immediately upon taking office, he fulfilled his promise to fire federal officers who won’t return to the office by signing an executive order mandating that heads of departments and agencies “take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person.”
But while Trump and DOGE leader Elon Musk are all-in on in-person work, the majority of the country isn’t so enthusiastic. Around 77% of Americans support remote or hybrid options for federal employees. Less than 23% believe federal workers need to be on-site full-time, according to a new report from MyPerfectResume.
It’s no surprise that the popular feeling about flexible work extends to federal workers. Study after study shows that workers put a high value on flexible work options. Only 22% of respondents to this latest survey said they prefer on-site work, with around 71% reporting their highest satisfaction levels with remote or hybrid options.
“While Trump’s orders are likely to embolden more companies to mandate RTO, the survey paints a clear picture: workers value flexibility and remote work options now more than ever,” Jasmine Escalera, a career expert at MyPerfectResume, wrote in a statement. “The traditional 9-to-5 office culture seems increasingly at odds with employee needs for work-life balance, mental health and productivity.”
Federal workers trying to hold onto their flexible work arrangements may have the support of the American people, but their chances of staying remote don’t look good. Earlier this week, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management offered roughly 2.2 million federal employees the option to take a government buyout—although the use of that term has been hotly debated.
In an email to civil servants, which has since been posted online, the OPM told workers that they have until Feb. 6 to decide if they want to stay in their roles, or leave and keep their pay and benefits for the next eight months. If they do take the deal, they will also be exempted from all in-person work requirements until Sept. 30, 2025.
