When you shut the door on remote work, seasoned talent turns away

Veteran talent walks away the moment in-office work policy clashes with autonomy. McKinsey found 43 percent of prime-age employees, between 25 and 54, already work remotely, and nearly 60 percent want the option — an expectation gap of 17 percentage points that widens resignation risk. Among recent quitters, 17 percent left specifically because employers altered working-model policies, making flexibility a top-three trigger for voluntary exits.