Workplace Focus Shifts: From Location to Time Autonomy

A recent report by commercial real-estate firm JLL, the Workforce Preference Barometer 2025, indicates a shift in the primary conflict between employers and employees from geographic location to temporal autonomy.

Evolution of Workplace Expectations

While structured hybrid work policies have become common, with 66% of global office workers reporting clear expectations on in-office days, a new disconnect has emerged regarding control over work timing.

The report highlights that work-life balance has surpassed salary as the top priority for 65% of global office workers, an increase from 59% in 2022. This suggests a growing preference for managing time over place. While high salaries remain a primary reason for job changes, schedule control is a key factor in employee retention.

Practices such as "coffee badging"—where employees badge in briefly before working remotely—illustrate this shift in focus. A 2022 Gartner report noted that 60% of employers were tracking employees, a figure twice as high as pre-pandemic levels.

The Flexibility Gap and Employee Well-being

JLL's data identifies a significant "flexibility gap": 57% of employees believe flexible working hours would improve their quality of life, but only 49% currently have access to this benefit.

JLL suggests this gap poses risks to the "psychological contract" between workers and employers. Beyond salary and flexibility, the survey of 8,700 workers across 31 countries indicates employees seek visibility, value, and preparation for future career development. Approximately one-third of respondents stated they might leave for better career development or reskilling opportunities. Recognition, emotional well-being, and a clear sense of purpose are also cited as crucial for long-term retention.

Where this contract is perceived as broken, employees may seek compensation through increased commuting stipends and flexible hours. The demand for time flexibility is also linked to employee exhaustion, with nearly 40% of global office workers reporting feeling overwhelmed. Burnout is identified as a threat to employer operations. Among employees considering leaving in the next 12 months, 57% report experiencing burnout. Caregivers, in particular, often require short-notice paid leave (42%) and report feeling their constraints are not adequately understood or supported.

Employer Strategies and Broader Perspectives

The report recommends that organizations move away from