Feb 12, 2023 - Economy
The gap between remote and onsite work narrows — again

- Erica Pandey, author ofAxios Finish Line
The number of Americans back in offices has been steadily climbing since the height of the pandemic. But it's starting to fall back down, per LinkedIn data.
- The big picture: It's a sign that the balance between remote and in-person work will continue to oscillate with the times.
What's happening:
- Americans who have the option of working from home might be doing so to avoid paying for public transit or gas as the economy tightens, says George Anders, senior editor-at-large at LinkedIn.
- And the recent winter storms and cold snaps could be deterring people to trudge forward with daily commutes.
- There are also people who have recently been hired for fully in-person jobs who discovered upon joining that onsite attendance five days a week isn't necessary. So they've slipped into hybrid work, Anders says.
The bottom line: Employers want workers to come back for good, but it's unlikely work will ever return to what it was before the pandemic's massive experiment in teleworking.