Remote work would lead to relocation for many

Survey after survey continue to prove that the workforce prefers remote work and hybrid work arrangements over a physical full-time return to the office, at least at this point. Workers remain concerned about COVID-19 exposure and infection, and have gotten attached to the improved flexibility and work-life balance, with particular appreciation for the disappearance of the commuting experience. Additional "issues" are re-adjusting to daily routines, being away from family and pets, and office politics.

This is going to get really interesting. For those who do land virtual work situations, remote work frees a person up in regards to where they can live, and many could chose to move to some new preferred location. According to survey results from Flexjobs, just over one-third of respondents say they would indeed relocate! If they were able to secure a permanent remote job, 37% of respondents said they would “definitely” consider relocating, and an additional 31% said they “might consider it.” 

Why would remote employees want to relocate?

The reasons respondents shared for wanting to relocate include:

• Better quality of life: 58%
• Lower cost of living or less expensive housing: 47%
• Different or better climate: 38%
• A change of scenery: 35%
• Closer to friends and family: 26%
• Access to better schools: 14%

Where do they want to move?

We considered this same question in a recent post. Not only are employees who work remotely reconsidering where they want to live, many cities and locations are working to attract these workers with various incentives. The list of countries where travelers can go live and work remotely is growing. 

Want to attract more remote workers?

If you are one of those companies that are getting more comfortable with the idea of employees working remotely, then you might have an advantage when talent holds firm about not wanting to come back to the office. In fact, some companies continue to consider creating "de-location" programs to have an even more elevated chance of attracting the top remote workers. The idea of having jobs move to people is not new, but it is a trending topic that we talked about recently when exploring how to make the most out of your "de-location" program.