Work From Home is definitely here to stay, but unfortunately, not for everyone.
Driving the news: Remote work is on the decline as corporate Canada looks to leave pandemic-era work accommodations in the past. On LinkedIn, remote job postings have fallen from 20.6% as a percentage of total postings in March to just over 13% last month.
The big problem is, people still want remote jobs. In 2022, over half of all job applications on LinkedIn were for remote positions—a jump from the year before. One Future Skill Centre survey found that 78% of respondents like working from home “a lot better” than working in the office.
The outsized demand for remote work makes for a serious mismatch between the expectations of workers and bosses. A recent survey found 44% of executives would prefer to be in the office every day of the work week, a sentiment shared by 17% of employees.
- Over a thousand Apple employees signed a petition against the company’s three-day return-to-office mandate. In Canada, return-to-work demands are part of the reason that 120,000 Canadian public servants are considering a strike.
Why it matters: With fewer positions available and pandemic restrictions lifted, power in the labour market has shifted power back into the hands of bosses who want more face time.
Bottom line: Competition for remote jobs is fierce—bring your A-game or you’ll end up back in the office.