“Remote”, “Hybrid”, “Compressed” and “WFH”––many buzzwords have emerged since the advent of the pandemic to describe the new world of work.
And many millions of people around the world now spend as much, if not more, of their working week out of the office than in it. But the shift towards remote working remains a controversial workplace issue.
This year some business leaders have started pushing back as the threat of Covid has receded, demanding staff spend more time on-site. A recent study by Unispace found that 72% of employers have mandated return to office orders. Of the remaining 29% of employers who have not explicitly told their staff to return, 20% are strongly recommending it.
So is the trend on the way out, or is it here to stay?
Remote work rules
Recent research from Stanford University and the Census Bureau’s household survey indicates that remote work remains prevalent, with Stanford’s finding that it accounts for over a quarter of paid full-time workdays in the United States, just slightly down from 33% in 2021.
Stanford’s study on working from home, which surveys 10,000 workers across cities and industries, found that 27% of paid full-time days were worked from home in early 2023. Much of that remote work came from hybrid setups.
The survey found that 12% of workers were fully remote, roughly 60% fully in person, and 28% working hybrid. This suggests that the recent push by top employers—such as Disney, Amazon, Apple as well as several Wall Street banks—to get employees back into the office three or more days a week may not have moved the needle much.
One metric that does indicate that hybrid work is here to stay is: job postings. A study from researchers at Stanford, Harvard and other institutions analyzing over 50 million job postings found that postings explicitly mentioning remote work are at 12.2%.
Where to look
This is a fourfold increase since before the pandemic. Remote jobs are still plentiful, but these days you have to know where to look.
According to the data, job postings that allow at least one work-from-home day each week are higher in the Northeast region (encompassing New York City, Philadelphia and Boston).
For instance, nearly 80% of companies in Massachusetts are hybrid or remote, as are almost three-quarters of employers in New York and Connecticut. And flexible-job postings have actually increased in Maine.
Southern states with diverse economies and large metro areas offer more flexible job options too. Two-thirds of employers in Texas, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina and Georgia allow some version of hybrid or remote work. South Carolina is a hub for remote work, stemming in part from a tech corridor in the Charleston area.
Companies based in Western states have offered the most flexible work policies to date. In Denver, Austin and Boston, where the tech sector’s influence is outsized, more than half of employers offer fully remote jobs, or let employees choose when they want to come into the office. And hubs of technology and government employment like San Francisco and Washington state offer a high share of advertised flexible jobs.
Remote work experts strongly assert hybrid schedules will remain a permanent feature of work in the United States for a host of reasons, including better worker engagement and retention.
Even if the parameters and kinks are still being worked out in real time, companies that offer the technological tools and organizational environment to enable such workplace flexibility are positioned to attract the best talent.
If you’re looking for opportunities that prize employee autonomy, choice, and flexibility, visit The Hill Jobs Board where you can browse a wide selection of open roles right now. Here are three companies hiring this week.
Director of External Affairs and State Relations, Career Education Colleges & Universities, Arlington
Career Education College & Universities (CECU) is currently recruiting for a Director of External Affairs and State Relations to join its team in Washington. To apply, you’ll need to have a Bachelor’s degree in a related field with five or more years’ experience in coalition building, communications, and external affairs, preferably at a DC-based association or in a legislative office or agency. Worth noting: the successful candidate will have the flexibility to work a hybrid schedule in DC or a remote arrangement.
Deputy Project Manager of Communications, Tribal Tech LLC, Alexandria
As the Deputy Project Manager of Communications, you will have an opportunity to address the most pressing health and wellness needs in Native American communities. You will be responsible for overseeing the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) Behavioral Health and Wellness Program (BHWP) website, webinars, events, and the submission of work products. Additionally, you will play a crucial role in managing the program’s staff members, maintaining smooth operations, and ensuring the efficient execution of project tasks. To be considered for this role at Tribal Tech LLC, you will need experience in project management, preferably in the field of behavioral health and wellness as well as strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to motivate and guide employees.
External Communications Manager, The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) Jobs, Washington
The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) has a full-time regular position for an External Communications Manager at its Washington, D.C. office. This key role requires an experienced writer with a proven track record of producing clear and effective communications who will work closely with the Office of the Chair to develop compelling and creative written materials, speeches, and talking points. Applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. A hybrid work option is offered here; staff can choose to live and work from anywhere within the United States, but will be required to commute to their assigned office or location for occasional intentional gatherings or meetings at the frequency required by their supervisor.