New Jersey has emerged as a leader in workplace flexibility, with the state making the top 10 list for the highest percentage of companies offering flexible work arrangements. As economic uncertainty grows, businesses across New Jersey are navigating evolving trends in hybrid and remote work policies to stay competitive.
According to The Q3 2024 Flex Report by The Flex Index, 83% of companies in New Jersey now offer workplace flexibility, aligning with broader trends in the Northeast, where flexibility remains high. In Trenton, 87% of companies provide flexible work options, earning the city a spot in the top ten most flexible metros in the U.S. This increasing embrace of hybrid models allows employees to split their time between the office and home, with most firms requiring an average of two to three days per week in the office. While the national percentage of firms offering flexibility slightly dipped from 69% in Q2 2024 to 67% in Q3 2024, New Jersey’s consistent leadership in flexible work options reflects its adaptability to modern workplace demands.
Industries such as technology and professional services are at the forefront of New Jersey's flexibility trend, where maintaining remote or hybrid work policies is becoming a critical factor in attracting and retaining talent. As economic conditions evolve, New Jersey businesses will be watching closely to see whether the demand for workplace flexibility continues to rise or whether stricter office attendance policies will take hold.
Sixty-seven percent of U.S. firms now provide work location flexibility, marking a significant increase from 51% in the first quarter of 2023, although this reflects a slight decrease from 69% in the second quarter of 2024. More than 90% of firms established since 2011 offer flexibility, indicating a strong correlation between a company's age and its likelihood of providing such options, applicable to both small and large organizations.
The popularity of structured hybrid models is on the rise, with 38% of U.S. firms adopting this approach, up from 37% in the previous quarter and significantly higher than the 20% in early 2023. Conversely, fully flexible models have decreased in popularity, dropping from 32% to 29% quarter over quarter.
The average time employees are required to spend in the office has increased, now to 2.63 days per week, up from 2.49 days in the previous quarter. This average holds true across all firms and specifically for those with structured hybrid models.
In terms of industry flexibility, financial services has fallen out of the top five most flexible sectors, with tech and telecommunications taking two of the top three spots. Additionally, large companies with 25,000 or more employees are gradually moving toward requiring full-time office attendance, with 25% of these firms now mandating it.
Regionally, the West and Northeast lead in offering work location flexibility, with nine of the top ten states for such policies located in these areas. In contrast, the South has the highest concentration of states and metropolitan areas that require full-time office work for corporate employees.
