12.06.2024

Remote job postings decreasing as employers ramp up return to office efforts

Fewer employers are actively posting fully remote jobs as they push for employees to return to the office, new data from leading talent solutions provider, WilsonHCG, shows. However, the talent solutions leader has warned that a lack of other incentives, such as wellness programmes, could damage recruitment and attraction when the labour market fully bounces back.

The data – from Claro Analytics, WilsonHCG’s talent intelligence and labour market analytics platform – revealed the number of remote job postings in the UK has fallen by 18% from the start of this year. While hybrid jobs have increased 6.9% during this time, the disparity between the two suggests that more employers are driving efforts to get people back into the workplace.

According to WilsonHCG, organisations are at risk of damaging their competitive positioning in the labour market unless they are offering alternative incentives such as wellbeing programmes or unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO). WilsonHCG’s data revealed that adverts referencing wellness benefits or PTO make up a fraction of the UK’s open roles (0.24% and .08% respectively).

Craig Sweeney, EVP of global strategic talent solutions at WilsonHCG, commented: “While many businesses may still be trying to strike the balance between remote and in-office jobs, we are definitely seeing a trend in the UK of employers pushing for their employees to be back in the workplace more often. There are pros and cons of this approach. Getting the workforce together in person boosts learning opportunities, engagement and motivation. However, for some – particularly those who entered the workforce during lockdowns who have only experienced remote working and those with caring responsibilities at home – the return to the office can be daunting and off-putting.

“This means that employers are already potentially losing out on a significant proportion of talent pools by moving to fully in-office strategies. With businesses across the country already feeling the impact of skills shortages, their ability to attract the resources they need once the economy and labour market pick up will be impacted unless they have a clear strategy in place. We’re not yet seeing an uptick in other incentives and perks as employers move away from remote options, which could have a lasting impact on businesses.”

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