Albert Einstein once said, “The mind that opens to a new idea never returns to its original size”, and that perfectly illustrates one of today’s most significant corporate challenges. Now that our workforce has been exposed to the benefits of remote and hybrid work, candidate priorities have significantly—and for many, irreversibly— shifted. Flexibility is the new currency, and to help you navigate this landscape, today we’re sharing four insights to keep in mind when hiring your next leader:
- When given the opportunity to work flexibly, 87% of employees take it. McKinsey’s American Opportunity Survey found this to be true across all demographics, occupations, and geographies.
- According to a survey of 3,000 workers, 64% said they would choose a permanent work-from-home option over a $30,000 pay raise.
- A recent LinkedIn report found that remote and hybrid positions draw four times more applicants than on-site positions.
- Of employees willing to commute, 74% believe companies should compensate them for rising fuel costs. At the same time, only 10-20% of companies expect to pay more for in-office versus remote roles.
Regardless of your stance on workplace flexibility, it’s critical to understand the landscape in which you’re hiring. To attract top talent, you must either offer flexible work options or have strategies in place to compete with those who do.
There is a clear perceived value to fully remote roles, and to offset that, we recommend being prepared for conversations around increased compensation and/or PTO. Additionally, every organization and position has unique and desirable qualities, and by uncovering those and promoting them upfront, you can draw significantly more candidate interest from the start.
For specific examples of what to include and avoid in your job descriptions, we invite you to listen to our featured podcast clip. Otherwise, we hope the above insights prove valuable as you work to secure the talent needed to keep your business moving forward.
