NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Return-to-office efforts in Manhattan have pushed in-person attendance to 76% of pre-pandemic rates, according to a recent study by the Partnership for New York City, though hybrid schedules reign as most common.
On any given weekday in a Manhattan office building, 57% of people are working in person, according to the survey, which polled 125 major office employers between March 5 and March 20.
The survey shows that only 10% of workers are coming in five days a week; conversely, only 8% of workers are fully remote. This means that hybrid schedules continue to dominate the office workforce, with the other 82% of workers going into the office between one and four days per week.
Nick, who works as a financial trader, is one of the people who braves the office every weekday. He told 1010 WINS he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Working from office is where the highest levels of productivity are and highest levels of efficiency,” he said.
Erin works in the same field, but finds the time she gets to work from home helps her stay motivated.
“I feel more productive a couple of days after I work from home because I have that rest,” she said.
Three-fourths of the employers surveyed said that their current policy is their “new normal,” but the other 25% plan to increase office requirements over the next 12 months, indicating a continual rise in attendance.
Alyssa told 1010 WINS that despite preferring to go in, there is something comforting about having the ability to choose.
“I think knowing that I can choose makes it feel better, but I would be in 4 days a week most weeks given the choice,” she said.