Working remotely was supposed to be a fleeting band-aid solution by companies 2 years ago who had to find ways to work around the pandemic, but almost three years later, more than a third of workers are still able to work remotely full time, with a quarter of employers being able to work remote part-time. While there are several companies desperate to get workers back to their physical locations, others are using remote work as a temptation technique for recruitment and retainment. They know many workers appreciate remote work, and offering remote work is as good as offering a lure that's cheaper than a sign-on bonus. A survey of more than 500 companies found that offering remote work can substitute for other things - such as raises. Employees would rather work for lower pay if they could get a flexible schedule in return. The employers can then help the economy combat inflation by resisting wage growth pressures.
See "Employees are willing to postpone raises in exchange for remote work", Greg Rosalsky, NPR, July 12, 2022