Job Seeker Preferences Contradicted... US Companies Reducing Remote Work Positions

Unlike Job Seekers, Companies Prefer Office Work: A 'Huge Mismatch'
Only 15% of Jobs Guarantee Remote Work

[Image source=Pixabay]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] The demand for remote work, which surged in the United States after the COVID-19 pandemic, remains high among job seekers. However, companies are requiring office attendance, leading to a 'great mismatch' phenomenon between labor and management, reported the Washington Post (WP) on the 27th (local time).

According to the report, although companies in the U.S. are recently shifting back to office work, the demand for remote work among job seekers remains at its highest level.

An analysis of recently submitted resumes on the job site LinkedIn showed that about 50% prefer remote work positions, but only 15% of the total jobs guarantee remote work. Rand Gayard, LinkedIn's head of economics and international labor markets, said, "In the past, mismatches between labor and management were mainly about skills, but now we are witnessing a different kind of mismatch," adding, "Job seekers are looking for specific jobs like remote work that employers do not prefer."

He explained that for office-based jobs, there are two job postings per applicant, whereas for remote jobs, there are two actual applicants per job. This means the supply gap between remote and office jobs is fourfold.

Similar trends can be seen on other job sites. According to Monster.com, the number of job seekers looking for remote work increased by about 21% from September to October, but the number of jobs seeking remote workers decreased by about 6%.

WP analyzed that the shrinking size of remote work jobs is the first and most noticeable sign of changes in the labor market. Although the U.S. unemployment rate remains at a record low of 3.7%, the Federal Reserve (Fed) forecasts that the unemployment rate will rise to 4.4% next year. This means more than one million jobs will disappear.

In fact, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find jobs. LinkedIn reported that in November, job seekers applied to an average of 22% more jobs compared to the same period last year.

However, there is an analysis that the era where office attendance is the standard will not return as before. Julia Pollack, chief economist at ZipRecruiter, said, "It is difficult to employ employees living in the office and elsewhere in a remote work style while telling employees living near the office to come to work," adding, "Long-term transitions for remote work, such as technological investments and office space reductions, are underway in various fields."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.