Will the option to work remotely make or break a job acceptance? We conducted a nationwide survey to determine how greatly job seekers value remote work.
How Important is the Option to Work Remotely to Employees?
Technology has advanced to a point where employees can grab a laptop and their cell phone and set up shop wherever it is most convenient. This has led to a major shift in how companies do business. Rather than asking their employees to commute to work every day or even at all, many companies have opted to give their employees completely free reign for whether or not they work from a desk. In fact, most companies will at the very least offer the option to work from home when their employees are feeling under the weather or have a personal situation going on that requires them to leave the office.
This option is seen as a vital way to accumulate talent as it becomes more expected as a perk. Companies see huge benefits to giving their employees more freedom, and it also cuts office costs and boosts general engagement for employees. It seems like a win-win for both employees and companies. But as it becomes a more mainstream option, there has been more discussion about how important this is to continuous talent acquisition. This survey asked over 2,500 people nationwide how important they feel that the option to work remotely is to their decision to accept a job. The results might surprise you.
On average, the ranking for how important it was to an employee that their employer offers a remote work option was lower than we would have estimated. Most states averaged right around the middle of the road for how highly they rank working from home as a perk. Vermont had the highest average at just under 7 out of 10, followed by Alaska and New Hampshire. It’s possible that the snow-filled winters (and by extension snowy road conditions) had something to with the higher rankings in the Northeast!
Meanwhile, on the opposite end of the spectrum, New Jersey, Louisiana, and Tennessee had the lowest ranking for how important they feel the option to work remotely is to their work experience.
Over 50% of women reported that they feel like working remotely is at the very least a great perk or at the very most, vital to their acceptance of a job. Meanwhile, over 50% of men report that they don’t worry about whether or not they can work remotely at all, and 15% of men view the option to work remotely as a detraction from the job.
The younger generation might have the reputation of being the most entitled, but actually, Gen X was the most likely generation to say they won’t take a job unless the option of working remotely is available. Millennials ranked it highly in importance and most said they at least think it’s a great perk, but shockingly, Millennials were also the most likely generation to say that they view the option to work remotely as a detraction. This might stem from studies that have shown how effective collaboration in the workplace can be to help teams achieve their goals. Unsurprisingly, Baby Boomers were the most likely generation to say that they don’t worry about working remotely at all.
Offering your employees a remote work option is a great way to provide them with a flexible work environment that allows them to work in the way that best suits them. This will allow for more creative results on their projects and an overall more pleasant work environment. As technology continues to evolve, more methods of giving your employees a flexible work schedule will become available, and it’s important that you keep on top of technology in that area as well as everywhere else. Wondering how the latest marketing software can boost your company’s efforts? Contact us here for more information!