Return-to-office costs surge in U.S.
MASSACHUSETTS, UNITED STATES — As employers in the United States (U.S.) mandate return-to-office (RTO) policies without compensation, most employees say commuting and related costs have become much more expensive compared to pre-pandemic times.
According to “State of Hybrid Work 2023” by the videoconferencing company Owl Labs, the typical employee now spends over $1,000 more per month on commuting and associated expenses, equating to about $51 daily:
- $16 on lunch
- $14 on commuting
- $13 on breakfast and coffee
- $8 on parking
Even hybrid employees going to the office a few days a week pay an extra $408 monthly on average.
The survey of 2,000 full-time U.S. employees showed 66% are in office five days a week, up from 41% last year.
“There’s no question working from the office is ‘wildly more expensive ‘ today than it was pre-pandemic,” Owl Labs CEO Frank Weishaupt told CNBC.
To attract employees back, companies should consider subsidizing commuting costs, Weishaupt suggests.
“If their desire is to get employees back into the office, there are triggers. Are you going to help offset the cost of my commuting? If you’re trying to attract somebody back into the office, you might consider that as a supplement that you can handle.”
