For millions of Americans, it seems no matter how enticing the job offer, these days there’s simply no place like home. The number of US workers willing to move for a job has been declining since the mid-1980s, but since the pandemic, those numbers have fallen off a cliff.
A record low
According to the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, the rate of Americans moving for work fell to a record low––just 1.6%––in the first quarter of 2023.
Unsurprisingly, experts say the mass move to remote working brought on by Covid-19 certainly nudged relocation figures towards a nosedive.
It’s now easier than ever for employees to take up a new role that allows for remote working.
Not only that, but these days it’s easier to advance in a company without having to relocate, thanks to the fact that many multinational organizations retain multiple office locations nationwide, as well as flatter corporate hierarchies that don’t call for divisional fence-hopping in order to progress.
Housing matters
There are other important factors keeping Americans home, too. The real estate market is in a perfect storm: rising interest rates mean that mortgage costs have more than doubled since early 2022, while house prices have surged over the past two years.
Moving house, therefore, has massive financial as well as lifestyle implications for workers, so those who can stay put and still work in their chosen fields are understandably choosing to do so.
Data from a major office key-fob firm shows that in the country’s 10 largest business districts, fewer than half of workers showed up at the office in the week ending May 10.
Relocation resistance is also tied up with the ongoing digital divide––that is, the uneven presence of good wifi. Positions in cities in which high speed broadband is harder to access are simply less attractive.
Relocation packages
Many firms have been quick to react, some with carrots, others with sticks. For some firms, the message to workers is that they need to be back in the office.
Colgate-Palmolive and Walmart are just two big players which believe staff do better on site, and some new hires are being told they need to live near the office.
Meanwhile, hundreds of firms, including Chevron and Appian, have improved their relocation packages to lure workers into making the shift. Across the board, jobs site Indeed.com says that job postings that reference relocation benefits increased by nearly 75% in the year to February according to its latest available data.
This means that for workers on the fence, there has never been a better time to consider making a break for it. If a new job is on your mind, then The Hill Jobs is a great first step. Discover three exciting open roles below.
Executive Director, Next Century Cities, Washington
Next Century Cities is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting officials in expanding high-speed, affordable broadband access for all, and closing the digital divide. It’s now hiring an Executive Director to serve as chief executive officer and organizational spokesperson, and ultimately drive growth, innovation, and excellence. The ideal candidate will have at least a decade of leadership experience in policy and systems accountability, ideally in broadband equity or other relevant sectors. You’ll need high competencies in strategy, fundraising, management, stakeholder organizing, and communications. With a salary range of $150-170,000, the successful candidate will head up a strong team of five and be Washington-based. Read more details and apply here.
Senior Software Engineer II (Embedded), Tandem Diabetes Care Inc, San Diego
Tandem Diabetes is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to join a team that releases regular software updates containing quality improvements, optimizations, and new features for insulin pumps. The role will involve software implementation, but also new feature design, improving code architecture, and mentoring junior developers. Eight years’ of experience in C programming on embedded devices is required, and in return the ideal candidate will attract an excellent benefits package and a salary range of $150k-170K annually. Apply for this role now.
Vice President – Product Manager, Liquidity Reporting, Securities Services Citi, New York
This well-compensated middle management role at Citi involves the development of product plans, strategies, and analytical data-backed insight for the broader Product Management team. The Vice President-Product Manager will manage daily and weekly reports on client balances, overdrafts, and intraday liquidity operations. It will be important that you become fluent in the different components of revenue (Liquidity Premium, Pool Rate, Cost of Funds, and Hedge) and you’ll be working closely with treasury partners to ensure a strong control environment for regulatory policies and guidelines. Although hybrid, this position will require your presence in New York and the salary range is $125,540 to $188,310. Apply for this role now at The Hill Jobs.
Visit The Hill Jobs to browse hundreds of premium open positions with firms worth relocating for