Working remotely could make you more vulnerable to a layoff than AI

A Gallup poll released this week indicates that while tech CEOs frequently cite artificial intelligence (AI) as a reason for mass layoffs, only 1% of laid-off workers agree with this assessment. The poll found that overall layoff rates have stabilized at 21% after nearly tripling between 2022 and 2025, with both tech and federal government jobs facing increased susceptibility due to a tightening job market. Fully remote employees appear to be particularly vulnerable, with 25% of surveyed laid-off workers having worked remotely, a rate higher than hybrid or on-site remote-capable employees. Executives acknowledge that return-to-work (RTO) mandates can serve as a pretext for layoffs, with a 2024 BambooHR survey revealing that 25% of executives viewed RTO mandates as a way to encourage voluntary turnover. Despite a general perception among workers that employers are hiring rather than cutting roles, the tech industry has been an exception, with 13% of laid-off workers previously employed in tech. Major tech companies like Meta, which cut nearly 8,000 roles in May 2026, and Microsoft have implemented significant staff reductions, with some, like Cloudflare's cofounders Matthew Prince and Michelle Zatlyn, attributing these decisions to a strategic shift towards AI. Federal government employees reported higher layoff rates at 38%, contrasting with state and local government workers who expressed more confidence in job stability. Although workers may not directly attribute their job loss to AI, the underlying reasons cited, such as cost-cutting and restructuring, could be indirectly linked to the expanding infrastructure and capabilities of AI, particularly within the tech sector. Furthermore, workers who do not regularly utilize AI tools may face a higher risk of job displacement, as the survey indicated laid-off workers were 62% more likely to avoid AI use compared to their employed counterparts.