As corporate giants in the United States push for a return to in-person work, a striking trend has emerged – salaries for fully in-office roles are witnessing a remarkable surge, surpassing even pre-pandemic levels.

In a bid to lure employees back to their desks, companies are digging deep into their pockets, offering premium salaries for those willing to commit to a five-day office routine. According to data obtained by ZipRecruiter and reported by the BBC, the average salary for fully in-person roles soared to $82,037 (£64,562) by March 2024, marking a staggering 33% increase compared to figures from 2023.

This premium is part of a strategy by employers to offset the loss of flexibility that many workers have grown accustomed to during the pandemic era. "Employers who cannot compete on flexibility will have to compete more aggressively on pay," explains Julia Pollak, chief economist at ZipRecruiter.

The lure of higher salaries is proving effective, with workers seemingly more inclined to return to pre-pandemic office schedules. A notable statistic reveals that employees transitioning from fully remote to fully in-office setups experienced a substantial 29.2% pay increase, nearly double the bump observed for those moving in the opposite direction.

However, this surge in in-office salaries could deepen existing labor market inequities, warns Barbara Petrongolo, professor of economics at the University of Oxford. "Those with caring responsibilities tend to prefer flexibility, and that's disproportionately women. So, if the highest-paid jobs offer less flexibility, some sections of the workforce are forced to essentially give up higher-paying opportunities."

Despite the undeniable allure of remote work, some employers remain steadfast in their belief that in-person collaboration yields better business outcomes. This conviction, coupled with a perceived notion of reduced productivity among remote workers, continues to drive the push for a full return to offices.

While the trend towards in-person work remains strong in the US, the availability of remote work in the UK and Europe has been relatively scarcer. Nonetheless, experts suggest that the demand for flexibility is unlikely to wane entirely, with around 33% of professional and business-service roles in the US still advertised with hybrid or remote working options.