Remote work availability for white-collar jobs is down, data shows

Dive Brief:

• Remote work availability for white-collar jobs is down, according to June 16 data from Coresignal, a business data provider.
• Roughly 15% of such job postings in North America offered remote work in 2020. That number dipped in early 2021, peaked later that year and now appears to be a steady downward path.
• Coresignal said its findings align “with the recurrent news in the media stating that more and more companies are refusing the remote job model.”

Dive Insight:

Research on on-site, remote and hybrid work models varies. The pandemic provided many employees with their first extended remote-work experience — and many have said they’ll never go back. Others have welcomed a return to the office, and still more prefer a hybrid approach, according to March survey results from Yoh.

One thing seems clear, however: the talent market remains tight and workers know they’re generally in a position to achieve their preferred work arrangement. In a study last year from Prudential, nearly half of remote workers said they’d start job hunting if their employer refused to offer remote work options in the future.

That hasn’t stopped several household names from recalling at least some workers. Just last month Elon Musk told Tesla execs their time at home was over. Musk drew criticism for the move but dissent focused largely on his approach: He implied that those working from home were merely pretending to work.

For employers moving toward hybrid or on-site operations, it’s key to remember that there’s no one-size-fits all approach, Sonia Aranza, a global diversity, equity and inclusion strategist told attendees at the Society for Human Resource Management’s annual conference last week. She urged employers to consider, among other things, how they’ll measure both productivity and well-being.