Charted: Return to the Office by Industry

What We're Showing

The surge in the number of employees who reported working mostly in-person in 2024, by industry.

The data comes from McKinsey & Company’s survey of 8,426 employees across 15 industries in the United States.

The End of Remote Work?

• Across all industries, 68% of employees reported working mostly in-office in 2024, doubling from 34% in 2023. 
• The total number of employees working mostly remotely declined by more than half to 17%, down from 44% in 2023. 
• The consumer and retail industry saw the highest growth in return-to-office with 87% of employees working mostly in person. 
• Several Fortune 500 companies—including JP Morgan, Amazon, and Nike—have implemented return-to-office mandates.
• The U.S. federal workforce is set to return to in-person work after President Trump issued a memorandum mandating it.