Half of workers say they will only apply for hybrid or working from home jobs – report

The Covid-19 pandemic dramatically changed the way many people work, with large numbers of office employees working from home since March last year.

Just under one in five (18pc) of respondents said in future they would only apply for jobs allowing remote working, with a further 38pc saying only jobs that allow a hybrid or flexible approach would be considered, according to the latest monthly survey from Indeed.

It also indicated that two thirds of workers’ views of what they looked for in an employer had been changed by the pandemic.

Issues that were cited as important to employees included clear health and safety guidelines to protect against Covid and future public health issues (52pc).

Employees also listed increased flexibility in working, with at least two days or more from home as an option (49pc) as being important, as well as their employer providing team-building opportunities to maintain relationships (26pc).

“There is little doubt that the pandemic will have a lasting impact on the world of work, with opportunities for flexible working or working from home now widely expected from employees,” Pawel Adrjan, head of EMEA [Europe, Middle East & Africa] research at Indeed, said.

Against a backdrop of wage inflation, employees cited the need for hefty salary increases to consider moving jobs.

Two in five workers said they would require a pay bump of 20pc plus, with a further 31pc saying they would look to be paid at least 10pc more before considering changing jobs.

“In a tight labour market employers looking to fill roles will likely need to think about how they can tailor opportunities to meet these expectations,” Mr Adrjan said.

“Against a backdrop of inflation and rising labour costs it is clear that many workers expect generous pay increases to tempt them to change roles.”

The monthly review of trends from the recruitment company continues to show that employers are in hiring mode, with the level of job postings on Indeed in Ireland 53pc ahead of its pre-pandemic baseline.

However, these jobs may be hard to fill, with only 4pc of respondents to the survey actively and urgently seeking a new role, and a further 14pc actively looking, but with no urgency.

When asked about the reasons for the lack of urgency in their job search respondents cited caring responsibilities for children or elderly relatives (30pc), having a financial cushion in place to delay the need (22pc), and concerns about workplace safety due to Covid (18pc).

The information is based on a survey of 1,500 adults in Ireland between 18-64 years of age.