Much has been said recently about the shift to remote working that has been driven by the pandemic. But what portion of job openings are actually remote? A review of major job boards shows that just a very small percentage fall into this category.
Less Than 2% of Job Postings on LinkedIn Are Listed as “Remote”
For example, of the 4.8 million jobs advertised on LinkedIn, just 1.6% are listed as “remote” (or at least have a remote option). This contrasts with Keypoint Intelligence's research showing that about 51% of US workers and 38% of Western European workers were working from home at the beginning of the pandemic.
While there’s been some return to the office in recent months, it’s also possible that remote working is best practiced by veteran employees. New workers must often be guided into their new roles, aided by face-to-face interactions in the office. Furthermore, they haven’t yet proven their ability to succeed in their new position—let alone succeed independently.
Internet, Marketing & Advertising, and Computer Software Sectors Have the Most Remote Listings
When looking at the industries with 100,000+ job openings on LinkedIn, it is the Internet, marketing & advertising, computer software, insurance, information technology & services, as well as financial services sectors that are most likely to be looking for remote workers. Some of these make a lot of sense, as the basis for their work is digital technology; face-to-face interactions aren’t necessarily required or beneficial.
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| Percentage of LinkedIn job openings that are remote by industry (only industries with 100,000+ job openings represented) Source: LinkedIn |
For example, a usability position for Mozilla requires the employee to apply usability testing and human-computer interaction techniques to assist with the company’s user testing, documentation, and design activities. This can either be performed at one of the company’s North American office locations or at the individual’s home in the United States or Canada.
I was a bit surprised to see insurance as a top remote work opportunity but, after digging deeper into the postings, it seems to be related to the fact that insurance agents are often independent contractors of a larger company; thus, they can work from their chosen location.
Sectors With the Fewest Remote Listings Are Restaurants, Transportation, & Food and Beverage
When looking at the sectors with the lowest penetration of remote work job openings, it’s clear these are the “essential” industries we’ve heard so much about in the last seven months. This includes restaurants, food, healthcare, supply chains, and consumer goods. With these sectors tending to require on-site workers, they perhaps represent a continued opportunity for print companies struggling in this digital world.
Subscribers to our consulting services can log in to the InfoCenter to see how print volumes are changing in different sectors, including those more equipped for remote working and those more “essential” in nature. Not a subscriber? No problem. Just send us an email at sales@keypointintelligence.com for more info.
