The massive transition to remote work has allowed professionals and companies to discover and embrace its benefits. As a result, many companies are adopting hybrid and remote work models for the long term, and according to FlexJobs’ Work Insights Survey, 95% of working professionals say they want remote work in some form—whether hybrid or fully remote.
A Gallup survey found that five in 10 full-time U.S. employees have jobs that can be performed remotely. While six in 10 employees with remote-capable jobs prefer hybrid work, approximately one in three prefer fully remote work. Conversely, fewer than 10% want on-site work.
Despite the demand for remote and hybrid work, Owl Labs found that one in four workers (25%) said their employer changed its remote or hybrid work policy in the past year. However, three-quarters (75%) of workers believe return-to-office mandates are due to traditional work expectations, and 40% of workers say they would look for a new, more flexible job if they no longer had the option to work hybrid or fully remote.
These findings mirror the results from FlexJobs’ State of the Workforce Report, which also found that nearly one in four workers (23%) faced return-to-office mandates in the past year. Consequently, the majority of workers (67%) plan to change jobs in the next six months, but 34% would consider staying in their current jobs if given remote work options.
Here are the top companies hiring for fully remote and hybrid jobs between January 1, 2024, and October 31, 2024:
Top companies for 100% remote jobs
- UnitedHealth Group
- Prime Therapeutics
- CVS Health
- Everlight Solar
- GovCIO
- Veeva
- Robert Half International
- Thermo Fisher Scientific
- Lumen Technologies
- Cardinal Health
Top companies for hybrid jobs
- Robert Half International
- AECOM
- Creative Financial Staffing – CFS
- LHH – Lee Hecht Harrison
- Walmart
- Lockheed Martin
- Black & Veatch
- Motion Recruitment
- Vaco
- UnitedHealth Group
1. Remote work attracts and retains talent
Attracting and retaining talent doesn’t have to be hard for companies; it can be as simple as offering remote work.
In FlexJobs’ State of the Workforce Report, remote work topped the list of factors workers consider most important in a job (81%), surpassing salary (77%). Furthermore, the majority of workers said fully remote jobs (65%) or hybrid remote jobs (34%) are their ideal work arrangement.
According to Robert Half, 61% of workers stated that they’re more likely to apply for jobs with remote or hybrid work options. Moreover, 4 in 10 workers said they planned to look for a new job in search of permanent remote work.
For employers who are pushing for a return to office, doing so could cause a loss of talent as workers change jobs in pursuit of more flexible work options and better work-life balance.
2. Remote work is good for business
Research from Global Workplace Analytics shows that businesses lose $600 billion a year to workplace distractions. Their data also highlights that remote work creates a healthier work environment by reducing the potential for discrimination, increasing employee empowerment and collaboration, and allowing companies to scale more quickly.
Furthermore, remote work helps reduce attrition and unscheduled absences, as well as increases productivity. In fact, 77% of working professionals state they are more productive working remotely. More specifically, 80% of Gen X and Gen Z and 76% of millennials say they are more productive working from home than in the office.
High productivity isn’t the only universal benefit of working remotely. Results from FlexJobs’ Work Insights Survey show that nearly one-third of working professionals think remote and hybrid work positively impacts their career growth, while only one-fifth believe it has a negative impact. Plus, remote and hybrid work creates new employment opportunities for unemployed or underemployed groups.
3. Remote work leads to better mental and physical health
For better or worse, the work environment has a direct impact on mental and physical health. From the ability to make healthier food choices at home to getting better sleep, remote work offers many positive health benefits.
According to FlexJobs’ Workforce Wellness Report, 99% of working professionals agreed that remote and hybrid work is the best work arrangement for their mental health. While 56% feel that a remote-only work environment is best for their mental health, 43% feel a hybrid workplace is better for their mental health. Notably, only 1% feel that working in an office full-time is best for their mental health.
In another FlexJobs survey of men and women at work, 82% of professionals said their mental health is better when working remotely, with 84% of women and 77% of men reporting better mental health.
This data is reinforced by a USA Today analysis of the benefits of remote work. In addition to better work-life balance (59%) and various lifestyle and workplace benefits, the top health benefits cited by remote workers include:
- Reduced stress or burnout (40%)
- Improved sleep (36%)
- Reduced depression or anxiety (31%)
- Getting more exercise (24%)
- Overall improved physical health (21%)
4. Remote work is good financial practice
From cutting the commute to skipping lunch out, remote workers save money.
Owl Labs reports that hybrid workers spend, on average, $61 per day when working from an office. On work-from-home days, however, hybrid workers can save an estimated $42 per day. With approximately 250 working days in a calendar year, those daily savings add up to annual savings of about $10,500.
Additionally, workers are prioritizing job flexibility over pay. In FlexJobs’ State of the Job Search Report, we asked job seekers what factors most appealed to them when assessing employers and jobs. Once again, remote work ranked first, with 87% reporting “having remote work” as the most appealing factor, beating salary at 76%.
Similarly, over half (58%) of respondents to FlexJobs’ Workforce Wellness Report said they would accept a pay cut in exchange for the option to work from anywhere. Nearly one-third of workers (31%) would accept a cut of 5%, nearly 1 in 5 (19%) would accept a 10% cut, and 8% would accept a 20% cut for the freedom to work remotely from anywhere.
As for employers, Global Workplace Analytics reports that nearly 60% of employers consider cost savings a significant benefit of remote work.
5. Remote work is environmentally-friendly
Due to human behavioral shifts in 2020, the world saw changes with slowed deforestation rates, reduced air pollution, and improved water quality. This positive environmental impact is due, in part, to the millions of people who transitioned to working from home, thereby reducing traffic congestion and air pollution from commuting.
For example, data from Scientific American magazine shows that working remotely four or more days per week can reduce an individual’s carbon footprint by up to 54%. Similarly, The Washington Post reported that making the switch from on-site work to full-time remote work could cut a person’s carbon footprint by more than 50% while working from home two to four days per week could result in up to a 29% reduction in emissions.
6. Remote work is more favorable in certain areas
According to research by WalletHub, not all states are considered equal when it comes to working from home, with some having more favorable remote work conditions than others.
Based on 12 metrics, New Jersey, Utah, Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia came out on top. Some of the data points that helped determine which locations were most suited to remote work include:
- Number of people working from home
- Internet access and cost
- Price of electricity and internet
- Median and average home square footage
7. Remote work is impacting real estate
Remote work gives people more options for where they live, reducing the necessity to live near large metropolitan city centers to maximize career potential. And with companies allowing employees to work from home, remote workers are taking advantage of the location independence.
FlexJobs’ Workforce Wellness Report found that modern professionals are increasingly interested in finding work-from-anywhere jobs without location requirements—even if it means accepting less pay or exchanging other benefits. In addition to reduced pay, workers said they would exchange opportunities for professional development (24%), company-sponsored health insurance (14%), and even vacation days (12%) in order to work from anywhere.
What’s more, many workers are questioning the reasons behind employers’ return-to-office mandates. Owl Labs found that half of workers (50%) believe return-to-office mandates are simply “to fill empty real estate,” rather than for work-related purposes.
By calling workers back into the office, employers are missing out on considerable cost savings. After all, Global Workplace Analytics reports that employers can save an average of $10,000 per year in real estate spending for each full-time remote worker they employ.
Whether it’s to flee cities with a high cost of living or to find more space to spread out, remote workers are realizing that they have more real estate choices than ever before.
8. Challenges of remote work
While remote work comes with many benefits for both employers and working professionals, some challenges must be addressed and overcome.
FlexJobs’ Work Insights Survey identified the following as the biggest struggles that remote and hybrid workers face:
- Not getting out often enough (28%)
- Overworking/working more (28%)
- Working across time zones (19%)
- Developing strong relationships at work (19%)
- Troubleshooting technology issues (18%)
- Dealing with non-work distractions (17%)
- Being “invisible” to the boss (16%)
Similarly, a USA Today survey cites some of the biggest challenges of remote work as:
- Feeling isolated from your team (34%)
- Fewer opportunities to learn from others at work (25%)
- Difficulty unplugging from work when working from home (22%)
- Less access to work resources and equipment (21%)
- Decreased team collaboration (14%)
- Feeling less connected to your organization’s culture (13%)
While these challenges are a reality, proactively addressing them is the first step toward overcoming remote work challenges and ensuring a successful work-from-home career.
9. Generational support of flexible work
Flexible work, whether remote or hybrid, is now a staple in the workforce. According to FlexJobs’ Generations at Work Report, the majority of millennials (61%), Gen Xers (61%), and boomers (67%) prefer to work entirely from home, while 39% of millennials, 38% of Gen X, and 32% of boomers prefer hybrid work.
The same survey also found that work-life balance and “having as much flexibility as possible” topped the list of professional goals, underscoring the demand for remote and hybrid work options across generations.
Specifically, 85% of millennials, 81% of Gen Xers, and 60% of baby boomers cited work-life balance as their top professional goal. Likewise, 78% of millennials, 73% of Gen Xers, and 63% of boomers ranked maximum flexibility as their second top professional goal.
10. Remote work is here to stay
Although some companies have reversed their hybrid and remote work policies, many companies continue to move in the direction of supporting and advocating for remote work. And workers are resisting a return to the office in favor of remote jobs.
When asked in FlexJobs’ State of the Workforce Report if they would look for a new job if they were not allowed to continue working remotely, workers said:
- Absolutely (57%)
- Maybe (34%)
- No (9%)
Over the years, FlexJobs has seen an increase in both remote and hybrid job postings. The following career fields have consistently shown high volumes of remote and hybrid roles and are considered strong prospects for job seekers.
Top Careers for Remote Jobs
- Computer & IT
- Project Management
- Business Development
- Software Development
- Operations
Top Careers for Hybrid Jobs
- Computer & IT
- Project Management
- Operations
- Accounting & Finance
- Business Development
With more opportunities than ever before to find a remote or hybrid job, it’s hard to see a future where going into the office full-time becomes the norm again.
Megan Dawkins is a senior content editor at FlexJobs.
This article originally appeared on FlexJobs.com and is reprinted with permission.
