Amid a changing labor market, workers seem willing to make trade-offs in pay and location to remain employable and flexible, according to a May 20 report from Randstad.
In a survey of more than 5,000 workers worldwide, two-thirds said they’d choose greater employability — staying relevant, skilled and secure — over remote work. In return for working fully on-site, they said they would prioritize time autonomy over pay (59% versus 41%) or location (56% versus 44%).
“Against the backdrop of persistent talent scarcity and a shifting economic environment, talent are making thoughtful decisions about what they value most — like employability, wellbeing and time flexibility,” said Sander van ’t Noordende, CEO of Randstad.
“For employers, this moment presents an opportunity to cement trust and strengthen engagement in a way that supports both talents’ goals and business objectives,” he added. “Leaders who respond with flexibility, fairness and long-term vision will be best positioned to attract and retain talent, as the value exchange must feel fair to both parties to be successful.”
Fifty-nine percent of workers said they’d trade an inspiring role for greater employability, and 60% said they’d rather have less work-related stress than a higher salary. In fact, 40% had already taken lower-paying roles to reduce stress, and 43% have taken roles with limited career growth opportunities but better work-life balance.
In cases where full-time on-site work is mandated, though, workers want more in return, including greater schedule flexibility, higher pay and more annual leave. Key long-term factors for retaining talent include inflation-matching pay increases, strong managerial support, alignment with company values and support from leadership, Randstad found.
Although return-to-office rates have stabilized, flexibility remains key for work scheduling, according to a report from McKinsey & Co. Hybrid and remote options have become an “entrenched norm” and could offer ongoing ways to compete for talent, McKinsey experts said.
Even so, workers and managers are still clashing over RTO requirements, experts previously told HR Dive. HR pros can help by encouraging managers not to fall back on past experience, listening to workers’ concerns and providing flexibility in work hours.
For many employees, 2025 feels like a year of “walking on eggshells” in a fragile workplace environment, according to a BambooHR report. Workers may decide to stay in their job and not apply elsewhere due to concerns about job security, the report found.
