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Companies maintaining flexible work models are reporting strikingly high productivity levels, according to new data that casts doubt on the necessity of rigid return-to-office mandates.
A study from the Institute for Corporate Productivity and cybersecurity firm Akamai Technologies found that 83% of companies with remote-friendly work policies rated staff productivity as high or very high. Within that figure, 21% reported “very high” productivity and 62% said it was “high.”
The findings arrive amid renewed debate over return-to-office (RTO) mandates at major employers, including Amazon, whose CEO Andy Jassy has publicly argued that in-person work is vital for culture and collaboration. Yet the new data suggests the opposite may be true - that trust and flexibility are more closely linked to performance.
Trust and flexibility fuel performance
Many companies achieving strong productivity levels are also showing faith in their workers by avoiding online surveillance tools. The report found 62% of remote-friendly firms do not track activities such as VPN use or keystrokes, which researchers said reflects “a strong culture of mutual trust.”
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Remote work appears to have become standard practice for many employers. More than half (52%) of surveyed organizations said remote-first work is now their default model, while just 7% plan to revert to traditional office-based operations.
To maintain collaboration, 86% of companies said they hold annual or semi-annual in-person meetings for strategy sessions, while 76% use team-building and social gatherings to sustain connection.
Talent attraction and retention key drivers
Access to talent was the most cited reason for adopting remote-first models, with 72% of companies saying flexible work widened their hiring pool. Another 31% said it helped retain staff for the long term, while 62% said it improved employee work-life balance.
The data aligns with shifting workforce priorities, particularly among Gen Z employees, who value lifestyle and well-being over rigid work structures. Reflecting that, more than half of remote-first firms offer home office reimbursements, and 79% provide mental health support.
Akamai, which helped compile the data, highlighted its own remote work outcomes, including higher performance ratings and an attrition rate of just 7.3%, significantly below the global tech industry average of 13.2%.
Other studies echo these findings. Gallup reported in September that hybrid and remote work models are now the prevailing standard, while earlier research suggested many employees continue to ignore RTO demands despite management pressure.
