Hybrid Work Remains Extremely Popular -- But Not For These Workers

"Hybrid work schedules for federal employees have plummeted under President Donald Trump, even though they remain widespread for other U.S. workers whose duties don't require them to be onsite. But the federal workforce is a different story. While 61% of feds worked under a hybrid model in late 2024, only 28% reported doing so in surveys Gallup conducted in May, after the Trump administration began its crackdown on work-from-home scheduling."

"A lot of workers viewed the elimination of hybrid work - along with more petty demands, like making employees justify their jobs in weekly emails - as a change meant to incentivize taking Trump's "deferred resignation" deal, in which they could give up their jobs and be paid through September. Some 150,000 workers ended up accepting buyout offers from the administration."

"Federal unions have bristled at the administration's mandates, noting they often violate hybrid- and remote-work stipulations outlined in collective-bargaining agreements secured under Trump's predecessor, former President Joe Biden. The Trump administration claimed those protections were "unlawful and cannot be enforced" since they conflicted with his executive order forcing workers back to the office. "If people don't come back to work, come back into the office, they're going to be dismissed," the president-elect said in December."

Hybrid work schedules for federal employees dropped sharply under President Trump while hybrid arrangements remained common among other U.S. workers whose duties do not require onsite presence. Surveys found 61% of federal employees worked a hybrid model in late 2024 but only 28% reported hybrid arrangements in May after the administration's crackdown on work-from-home. The White House prioritized full-time office returns, citing in-person productivity and enacting policies that increased stress and reduced job satisfaction to push separations. Many workers saw hybrid elimination and additional demands as incentives to accept a paid "deferred resignation" option; roughly 150,000 accepted buyouts. Federal unions disputed mandates as violations of collective-bargaining protections, while the administration argued those protections conflicted with its executive order.

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