Hybrid, Remote, 2 days in/2 days out, 3 in/2 out, one month off, 2 elected months remote…. There is a myriad of options that are floating around the market today and it is causing hiring chaos!
The dreaded four-letter word, COVID (well close enough!) is still the bane of our existence, at least for recruiters and hiring managers it is.
Life is split between pre-covid and post-covid, isn’t it? Listen to daily conversations and it is all around us. It is like a bad break-up that you can’t move on from. The executives of the US companies all have different philosophies of why a job should be remote, why hybrid and why neither. Dare I say it’s like Republican vs. Democrats, each side can justify their own view with good arguments.
If attracting good talent, especially in the accounting space wasn’t bad enough, there comes another deal breaker requirement. Typically, the top 3 priorities of job seekers are compensation, commute, and growth in some order.
But now, the first question is… is this 100% remote? Is it hybrid? What days? How flexible? If that priority isn’t met, money and growth are overall thrown out the window!
Have we all gotten, dare I say, L A Z Y in our sweats and slippers (I am a victim of the wardrobe myself!)?
Are we Ok or feel better off with less human interaction?
Is this good for our mental health? (no, but darn good for gas and travel expense!)
Are we robbing young professionals of the full professional experience? Afterall, proximity is power and networking, let’s face it, is not going to happen via Zoom. You are kidding yourself if you think it is very effective.
I spoke to one young person this week and he has been working 100% remote for 2 years. He has heard from his manager 3x in 2023! He said he feels like he doesn’t exist. He just pounds out the work, until the next month comes around. He is yearning for a hybrid role!
Here are the latest stats from Forbes, June 2023:
What do these statistics say? Well, I think it is clear, most people want some remote workdays, but it is a personal preference for everyone. The companies that are the most flexible have an easier time hiring, since the working model is the number one priority for people.
The problem with moving people back into the office from remote to hybrid to full-time is that Covid lasted long enough for people to adjust to a different lifestyle. People gave birth to new children, childcare changed, education was up in the air, and this lasted a few years. Now, companies want to bring people back into the office and they feel they have lost a benefit. Employers have taken something away from them but given nothing to replace it. That is the psychological dynamics that is happening.
Perhaps, hiring managers, you should noodle over this. If we take something from them, what can we give in return?? Get creative—it could be a game changer for your work environment!
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