Does Remote Work Still Rule as Life Returns to ‘Normal?’

An update on remote, hybrid, and in-person work trends

Numerous headlines and experts trumpeted the remote-work revolution during the height of the pandemic. Companies adapted to weather the crisis, with many learning that productivity didn’t suffer. Employees realized new benefits from working remotely, and some never wanted to go back to the in-person normal. Flexibility became an in-demand benefit in a competitive hiring market.

In April 2020, we predicted that “remote work is here to the stay — in one form or another,” writing that the “crisis is likely changing the nature of work forever, and there are some adaptations we can expect to stick around for the long haul.”

Overall, this prediction has held up well. People are still working remotely in greater numbers, and flexible hybrid models have become common. But the last year-plus has also shown that in-person work is far from dead. Many businesses have called employees back to the building, some requiring five days a week onsite.

Here’s how the remote work trend is evolving:

Remote work stats show varying company and employee sentiment

The job market is easing but remains reasonably competitive, and remote work is still common and in demand. About “a third of work was done remotely in the United States in 2021 and 2022,” according to a recent analysis by a team of economists, down from “two-thirds of work” done offsite during the height of lockdowns.

Nevertheless, several companies have insisted workers return to the office, albeit with many of them offering more flexibility. Complicating matters is conflicting research, some of which shows a disconnect between the desires of employers and workers.

• A Microsoft study conducted in January and February found that about half of companies want workers back in the office five days a week, while “52% of workers said that they are thinking of switching to a full-time remote or hybrid job in 2022.”

• February research from CareerBuilder reported that “jobs allowing employees to work from home full or part-time saw seven times more applications than in-person roles.”

• But in May, Indeed reported that its “Relative Job Seeker Interest metric” showed a renewed demand for in-person work, with many industries seeing a return to pre-pandemic levels.

Given these mixed signals, what’s the real state of remote work, and where is it trending? The answer, it turns out, is “it depends.”

The demand and opportunities for remote work vary by industry, skill, and role

Some remote workers have always wanted to get back to in-person jobs, of course, and many others at least missed aspects of onsite work. A September Indeed survey revealed that 73% of respondents “miss socializing with their colleagues in person,“ “64% miss fewer distractions at the office,” and (surprisingly) half miss their morning commute.

Far more individuals are now back in the office since the spring of 2021. A June CNBC survey of 9,000 workers nationwide found that:

• “65% say they are now working fully in-person from their office or workplace
• 14% are working mostly in-person
• 9% are working mostly remotely
• 11% are working fully remotely”

Yet remote work remains popular, and many employees and job seekers still insist on flexibility. So, what gives? Conflicting headlines and stats often don’t control for industry, education level, role, and other factors.

For example, Indeed’s Relative Job Seeker Interest metric saw the largest increase in a desire to return to in-person jobs in the “food preparation & service” and “hospitality & tourism” sectors. This makes sense, as most of these jobs must be done onsite. But the research also implies that many jobseekers return to these industries after testing the water to find other roles. For example, last year, Indeed saw a spike in searches for “postings in sectors more likely to be remote and advertise higher wages.” This trend has since subsided while the willingness to return to onsite jobs has increased.

The changes in job participation rates also track with age. Indeed reports that the biggest post-pandemic recovery in the “employment to population ratio” is among 16 to 24-year-old workers, who tend to fill lower-skilled, primarily in-person jobs.

In contrast, McKinsey research shows that high-skilled white-collar positions that can be done remotely still have far more opportunities for flexibility, and “digital innovators demand it.” The top five job types with the most full or part-time remote-work availability are:

• “Computer/mathematical: 52% remote, 37% hybrid
• Business/financial operations: 61% remote, 25% hybrid
• Architecture/engineering: 47% remote, 35% hybrid
• Arts/design/entertainment/sports/media: 53% remote, 23% hybrid
• Legal: 46% remote, 30% hybrid”

In addition, specific segments of the workforce insist on offsite and flexible arrangements. Notably, the tech career hub Dice found that “60% of tech professionals ranked fully remote as their most-desired workplace,” and over half anticipate changing jobs in the next year—many to pursue this flexibility.

Thus, conflicting narratives like “remote work rules” vs. “everybody’s returning to the office” are simplifications. In reality, remote and hybrid work is far more common than before the pandemic. But the extent to which employers offer flexibility and jobseekers successfully demand it depends on the position.

Navigating remote and hybrid models

An employer’s decision to offer remote and hybrid work options may seem complex, but the essential criteria are simple:

• Whether the job can be done remotely and maintain productivity, team cohesion, and ROI
• How skilled and in-demand specific positions are, coupled with how much qualified individuals want flexibility

For employers, staying competitive and filling positions require assessing their circumstances and roles. And where the job can be done remotely, finding qualified individuals is difficult, and candidates prize flexibility, a company should offer the option.

Job candidates and employees require a similar assessment. How much do you prioritize remote work, and are you qualified for a profession that offers it?

Some individuals who contributed to “The Great Resignation” seeking better pay or benefits now regret that decision or have abandoned a non-negotiable search for higher-paying, flexible jobs that achieve work-life balance. Other workers, like those in tech, seem to have embraced remote models and never looked back.

Ultimately, the unique needs of companies for managing and engaging their workers plus economic factors, such as office space, have as much or more to do with remote work opportunities as trends or sentiment.

The picture is complicated, unclear, and will continue to evolve.

Karp HR Solutions helps businesses master the mix of finance and human resources. Contact us today for a free consultation.