Charted: The Decline of Remote Work by Industry

Govind Bhutada
2025-02-26 14:25:00
www.visualcapitalist.com

Charted: The Decline of Remote Work by Industry

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After years of companies embracing remote work and hybrid models, a major shift back to in-office work could be underway.

This infographic highlights the surge in return-to-office by industry, using data from McKinsey & Company’s survey of 8,426 employees from various industries in the United States.

Which Industries Are Returning to the Office?

Across all industries, the share of employees reporting to work in person doubled to 68% in 2024, from 34% in 2023.

However, some sectors are seeing much higher levels of in-office work than others. The table below breaks down the return-to-office trend by industry:

Industry	Mostly in office work (2023)	Mostly in office (2024)	Increase of in-office from 2023 to 2024
Consumer/Retail	33%	87%	54%
Pharmaceuticals & Medical Products	18%	58%	40%
Healthcare Systems & Services	35%	73%	38%
Public Sector	32%	68%	36%
Education	51%	84%	33%
Advanced Industries	42%	73%	31%
Overall	34%	68%	34%

The consumer and retail industry saw the highest growth in return to the office, with 87% of the employees reporting to work in person.

Public sector jobs also saw a sharp rise, with two-thirds of workers now in the office most days. Recently, President Trump also announced that all federal employees must agree to return to in-person work by the first week of February or be terminated.

Additionally, 84% of employees in the Education sector worked mostly in office in 2024, despite the prevalence of EdTech tools over the last few years.

The End of Remote Work?

Remote work declined sharply between 2023 and 2024. McKinsey’s survey found that the share of remote workers across all industries fell to 17% in 2024, less than half of the 44% in 2023.

Over the past year, major Fortune 500 companies—including JP Morgan, Amazon, and Nike—have implemented return-to-office mandates, requiring employees to report to the office at least four days a week. Other organizations, along with the U.S. federal workforce, are following the trend.

However, employee sentiment remains mixed. Many still prefer the flexibility of remote and hybrid work models, while others appreciate the structure and teamwork of being in the office.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

Despite the rise of in-person work, many high-paying remote jobs still exist out there. Check out Remote Jobs with the Highest Demand on the Voronoi app to learn more.

The post Charted: The Decline of Remote Work by Industry appeared first on Visual Capitalist.

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