I'd argue 1/3 are harder than ever before, you're basically banking on grabbing the selection of good engineers that like being in the office and that does seem to be a minority of engineers as a whole. That isn't to say there aren't some, the best engineer I've ever met loves going into the office BUT in my experience it is the minority for sure.

Consider how easily you just disregarded the hardships peoples overcome via the internet; Isolation, lack of opportunity, and lack of resources. All can be mitigated to some degree via the Internet. I personally know individuals that have done so in a way conventional society would never have allowed, to wave this away so easily requires extraordinary tunnel vision on the recent ills.