Remote work is now an expectation for many office workers, particularly after the pandemic saw all Americans rethink their work priorities. For many remote and hybrid workers, their commute is simply a few steps to the home office, but the summer presents a unique opportunity for remote workers to harness the full flexibility remote work offers.
We surveyed 500 remote and hybrid employees and managers to learn how they embrace summer at work and whether the dog days of summer spell a slowdown in the remote office.
Summer slowdown? One in four workers say they ‘work less’ in the summer
While the summer no longer holds the promise of time off from school for adults, many remote workers are finding ways to relax on the clock: One in four remote and hybrid workers say they work less in the summer. The youth are leading the charge: more than two in five Gen Zers admit to summer slacking.
33% of hybrid, 27% remote-first hybrid (those who work more days at home instead of in the office), and 20% of remote workers work less in the summer.
Roughly two in five (38%) managers do notice their employees working less in the summer, but of those who notice, most don’t care. Some take it further: about one in six employees and managers go so far as to do the “bare minimum” in the summer — sometimes summer burnout gets all of us.
Summer is also synonymous with vacations; over half (53%) of the employees surveyed plan a holiday in summer 2024. Of those, 71% are using PTO to do so, and over one in 10 aren’t planning on telling their manager, instead choosing to ride the trend of “quiet vacationing” or taking time without letting their job know. Nearly half of employees also say they book their trips first and ask for the time later.
Do managers see quiet vacationing? 15% confirm they’ve caught an employee vacationing without asking first.
How employees are working less in the summer (and what managers see)
Working less can mean a lot of things. What’s falling by the wayside in the summer?
Employees love their “summer Fridays,” company-wide full- or half-days off through the summer months. 52% picked that as a top way to work less in the summertime. Other popular ways employees work less include working fewer hours overall, taking more breaks, taking more PTO, and working outside. Honorable mention also goes to the 13% who listed ‘patio season’ and 10% who listed ‘afternoon siestas’ as another way they work less.
Managers, meanwhile, notice their employees taking more frequent breaks, followed by shorter Fridays and/or summer Fridays, more PTO requests, shifting schedules, and fewer hours. Nearly one in six also notice more artificial Zoom backgrounds in the summer.
Pros and cons of remote work flexibility
How flexible is too flexible when it comes to remote work? Over one in three managers say remote workers push the boundaries too far: they say that remote workers want too much WFH flexibility.
Employees take advantage of remote work by embracing flexible hours. Over three in four list schedule flexibility as their top benefit, followed by work-life balance, lunch breaks, the capacity to do household chores during working hours, and running errands. Nearly one in 10 also embrace remote work flexibility by becoming digital nomads or remote workers who travel across the nation or globe while working remotely.
Some employees also try to hide not working, with top methods including keeping away messages on chat platforms up, scheduling emails so it appears that they’re working, exaggerating their workload, and even using a mouse jiggler. Then again, over one in three say their manager knows they’re not working the whole time.
Remote and hybrid workers prefer working from home rather than a faraway beach: 71% work in a home office, 48% work elsewhere in their homes, and 15% choose coffee shops. For the summer, nearly one in 10 will also work from a park or pool to get some sun during the day.
The average American worker's life is changing in this post-pandemic era. With work-life balance becoming a priority, workers are finding ways to recapture their time in the sun.
Methodology & fair use
In June 2024, we surveyed 502 employees and 500 managers who self-identified as hybrid or remote workers. For managers, ages ranged 21 to 76 with an average age of 43, while employees ranged 19 to 77 with an average age of 40. Managers were 52% men, 47% women, and 1% either non-binary or would not say. Employees were 49% men, 50% women, and 1% either non-binary or would not say. Best represented work sectors across both were tech, business, and health professions.
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Fair use
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