A new study found that U.S. employees who had to return to the office full-time are paying a lot to be there.
According to the annual “State of Hyrbrid Work” report, conducted by videoconferencing company Owl Labs, employees going to the office are spending an extra average of $51 per day.
Two-thirds of employees nationwide have been affected since many companies sent out their return to office mandates.
This is the breakdown for the average per-day cost for employees working in person: $8 for parking, $13 for breakfast or coffee, $16 for lunch, $14 for commuting, and $20 for pet care for those who need it.
Even though polls show only 22% want to work in person, more companies are calling employees back to the office.
In-person work climbed from 44% in 2022 to 66% this year, according to Owl Labs. Hybrid schedules have held steady around 25% of those surveyed.
Some companies are trying to entice workers back to the office with perks rather than mandating it.
More than half of workers surveyed in a Newsweek poll want employers to cover commuting costs. Job postings that cited commuter benefits rose 43% in the last two years to 1.1%, according to an analysis by labor demographic firm Lightcast.
The Owl Labs survey also found employees want more privacy at work and to know when other people will be there.
Some workers are still reluctant to return to the office because of the added costs and commute time.
