Although remote and flexible working have been used as eye-catching terms for companies eager to hire new talent, applicants are hitting snags in the post-pandemic era.
Over the last few years, the concept of flexible working has become more attainable as companies relinquish their desires to bring employees into the office. However, as inflation drives the cost of living higher, employers are buckling down with their preferred arrangements, meaning workers can’t afford to take as many risks with their careers.
The battle of work arrangements between employers and employees has been hot since the onset of the pandemic, but current economic standings could alter future work models.
While LinkedIn data shows that demand for remote work is nearly at an all-time high, companies are quietly cutting back on their flexible offerings. In fact, just 15% of LinkedIn job listings were described as remote despite 50% of applications seeking work-from-home positions.
“It’s the ‘great remote work mismatch,’” said Rand Ghayad, head of economics and global labor markets at LinkedIn.
“In the past, labor mismatches have been about skills. Now we’re seeing a different kind of mismatch, where workers are looking for jobs that offer certain attributes — like the ability to work remotely — that employers aren’t willing to offer.”
However, this doesn’t mean that flexible work models will be a relic of the past.
“I do think it’s hard to put the genie back in the bottle on this one,” said Julia Pollak, chief economist at ZipRecruiter.
“Once you hire a remote employee who lives elsewhere — as many companies have — it’s very hard to insist that people who live near the office come in all the time.”
