Three years on from the start of the pandemic and despite the research proving that remote workers are just as, if not more, productive than their in-office counterparts, the great debate about whether workers should return to pre-pandemic ways of working rumbles on.
According to McKinsey most recent American Opportunity Survey, 87% of the workforce would prefer to work remotely full time, however only 35% of workers are able to work remotely five days per week and just over half (58%) are only permitted to work from home one day per week.
Benefits and advantages
Flexibility is one of the biggest motivators surrounding remote work, and a separate survey from Unispace highlights that 92.2% of those surveyed listed an improved work-life balance and the ability to effectively manage personal commitments like family or childcare as their main motivation.
Access to wellbeing activities that are easier to access from a home setting also ranked high (89.3%), while reducing commuting time and costs is also a major concern for 98.1% of those who took part in the study.
Generational divide
While Gen Z have been typecast as a work-shy generation that floats from job to job without any kind of work-ethic, when it comes to remote work, they buck the trend and are more eager to avail or in-office roles than their millennial counterparts.
In fact, Unispace uncovered that 79% of those aged 18-34 expect to be back in the office four days per week. This number drops to 67% for those in the 25-44 cohort, and 51% for employees over the age of 45.
Proximity bias is one reason why—95% of executives recently admitted that they are more cognoscenti of contributions from workers when they are in the office.
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However, for those starting out in their career who possibly spend their formative college years in lockdown, starting a job remotely can impact on learning and development opportunities in the form of on-the-job teaching.
According to a study conducted by economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the University of Iowa and Harvard, although remote work allows for greater productivity for more senior or established workers, it reduces the amount of feedback junior staff receive, particularly female staff members.
The hiring landscape
So, what does this mean for tech workers looking for a remote role? With the likes of Tesla, Meta and Google all ordering remote workers back to the office earlier this year, it seems the sun has set on hybrid or remote work for big tech.
However, remote jobs are still available and if your current employer has backtracked on its promise to allow you to work remotely or you’ve been issued with a mandated return to office, it could be time to look for a new opportunity that facilitates home working.
If that is the case, the Tech HQ Job Board is the perfect place to start your search as it features thousands of jobs in companies that are filling remote roles, like the three below.
Chief Technology Officer (CTO) – Equity Based, MedMatch360.com, Remote
MedMatch360 is an innovative startup that is revolutionizing healthcare recruitment. It is seeking a Chief Technology Officer who can guide tech initiatives and contribute to business growth. As such, you will define and implement technology strategy, oversee system design and changes in system architecture and work closely with the team to define and deliver new products and enhancements. Get more information here.
Partner Development Manager, Trapp Technology Inc, Remote
The Partner Development Manager is responsible for managing Trapp Technology’s strategic channel partners on a day to day basis, including generating net-new sales, supporting daily go to market motions, executing a renewal strategy, and effectively enabling partners to sell and support services at Trapp Technology. The position will be responsible for developing on-going relationships with C-level executives, co-selling with partners, facilitating support motions, as well as articulating the Trapp Technology value proposition. See the full job description here.
Head of Management Systems, Element Materials Technology, Remote
Element has a rare opportunity for a Head of Management Systems to join its growing team. In this role you will be responsible for leading and managing the internal management systems development and maintenance, ensuring the business unit has a system that is compliant with industry standards and best practices and undertake the necessary activities to both build confidence in the compliance of its operations, and drive business performance in terms of customer satisfaction, productivity, safety, sustainability and technical excellence. Find additional details here.
