What’s The Deal With Remote Work in 2023? New Ways to Adapt
Remote work is an all too familiar topic for most employers, recruiters, and job seekers at this point, but what we’re all wondering is how remote work fits into the world of work in 2023 and how employers and recruiters can adapt their strategies to benefit from it.
The growth of remote work since 2019
Remote work, also known as telecommuting or working from home, has become increasingly popular in recent years. What started out of necessity for many businesses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is now a way for employers to seek out talent from any location and offer flexibility to their employees. According to CNBC, the share of remote work in 2023 is “likely to stabilize around 25% — a fivefold increase relative to 2019.” To put it plainly- there’s been a 500% increase in the amount of people working from home since before the pandemic.
The growth of remote work in early 2023
Data from LinkedIn’s Economic Graph team in January 2023 shows that fewer job listings are offering fully remote work in the new year. Despite this fact, more Americans are working fully remote in early 2023 than they were only a few months ago. According to LinkedIn’s latest Workforce Confidence survey, “remote work’s popularity has risen to 28%. Hybrid work is now at 18%, while the share of professionals working onsite has waned to just 50%.” An interesting takeaway from this survey is that unlike remote and on-site work models that have varied in popularity throughout recent years, the hybrid work model has shown consistent growth since January 2021.
The push for remote work by the US workforce
Much of the US workforce in 2023 would prefer to be working fully remote. In fact, Zippia found that 68% of Americans would prefer remote work and 40% of US workers feel that they’ve been more productive while working at home.
It’s no surprise that the US workforce prefers remote work in 2023. Remote workers can save time and money, and reduce stress by eliminating daily commutes. The flexibility that comes with no physical work location allows workers to better balance their professional and personal lives at home. Remote work can also provide a greater sense of autonomy and control over one’s work, as well as a greater sense of trust and respect from one’s employer, leading to increased job satisfaction.
Return to office mandates in 2023 have made headlines and are contributing to an increasing tension between employers and workers who desire the benefits of working from home. Fortune notes that there has been significant pushback from some workers and unions across the US, and that some of this pushback is related to lack of childcare and issues with commuting.
Adapting to remote work in 2023
With more employees and contractors seeking out remote work opportunities in 2023, recruiters and employers can benefit by adopting new technologies and strategies to reach top talent remotely.
To successfully support and scale a distributed workforce, a company needs to invest in the right technology. Video conferencing tools, cloud file-sharing software, project management software, and other collaborative tools that allow employees to communicate and work together effectively are a few of the essentials. Companies can benefit from factoring in ease of use, integration, and cost when considering which new tools to implement.
Clear communication is crucial to success and efficiency in a remote setting. Establishing clear communication protocols and guidelines can help ensure that workers or candidates are on the same page.
Fostering a sense of community, even in a remote setting, and focusing on employer branding and culture are two ways that recruiters and employers can stand out to top talent and retain remote workers. Working and job seeking remotely can feel isolating, so an effort on the employer or recruiter’s end to make workers understand the company’s culture and values, and feel included, can make a big difference in worker and candidate satisfaction.
Another way that recruiters can expand their business to benefit from the growing remote workforce is by recruiting global remote contractors. Recruiters can access talent in new, profitable markets, increase company resilience, and reduce overhead by working with an employer of record (EOR) to hire contractors.
Disclaimer: This post is provided for informational purposes and should not be considered legal advice, the final word on this topic or a political opinion.