Nearly half of comms pros would choose this soft benefit over a raise

During the coronavirus pandemic, working from home became a necessity for many as we were forced to hunker down to reduce the spread of the deadly virus.

Now, however, work from home has become a benefit so coveted that 48% of respondents to Ragan’s Salary Survey & Workplace Culture Report for 2022 said they would choose to work from home — even  over a raise.

One respondent pointed out that choosing to stay home can be a financial decision, especially in an era of rampant inflation and high gas prices: “It depends on the raise amount,” they wrote. “I save money by working from home (no transportation costs, no food and beverage spending, clothing spending decreases, etc.). If the raise isn’t significant in comparison to work-from-home savings, then I’d prioritize working from home for both the convenience and the savings.”

Though in total more workers would choose the cash over the flexibility of working from home, a stark divide appears when we break down that number by gender. A whopping 68% of men would choose a raise — while 52% of women would choose to work from home. Similarly, 84% of women indicated they worked from home at least one day a week, while only 76% of men said the same.