Decoding Remote, Hybrid, and On-Site Job Stats

During the pandemic, the world of work changed dramatically. Remote positions became necessities in many industries, with the number of people primarily working remotely tripling between 2019 and 2021. While some degree of telecommuting will remain part of the equation, the post-pandemic landscape is shifting once more, and not necessarily in the direction professionals would hope.

Here’s a look at remote, hybrid, and on-site job statistics that outline the currently evolving job landscape.

Flexibility Is Becoming Less Common

Currently, candidates are having a harder time finding a position offering entirely remote arrangements than in previous post-pandemic years. Companies are increasingly favoring on-site or hybrid positions over fully remote roles; so far, more vacancy announcements are for jobs that require some degree of an on-site presence.

Based on data from LinkedIn, in August 2022, 17.2 percent of paid job openings in the US were remote, and 8.9 percent were hybrid. As of August 2023, 9.1 percent of paid positions were remote, while 14 percent were hybrid. This shows a significant shift away from allowing employees to telecommute 100 percent of the time.

Additionally, those statistics demonstrate that entirely on-site jobs are increasingly common. Based on the figures above, that would suggest that 73.9 percent of job ads were for on-site positions in August 2022, while 76.9 percent of openings in August 2023 were for on-site jobs. While a 3 percent difference may seem minor, it showcases a clear shift.

Further, both remote and hybrid job openings are below their peaks. Remote jobs hit 20.7 percent of all postings in March 2022, while hybrid jobs represented 15.2 percent of job ads in February 2023. Essentially, it’s clear that employers don’t favor flexible arrangements, and many are moving away from those options.

Interest in Remote and Hybrid Positions Remains High

While companies are seemingly moving away from fully remote positions and increasingly expecting some level of on-site presence, candidates remain highly interested in remote and hybrid job opportunities, with the former getting the most attention from candidates.

In August 2023, a mere 9.1 percent of all paid positions advertised on LinkedIn were remote, but those roles attracted 43.7 percent of the total job applications. Hybrid positions represented 12.5 percent of the LinkedIn job ads for paid openings but drew in 20.3 percent of the applications.

Ultimately, that data shows candidates are favoring jobs with flexible arrangements over those that are entirely in-office or on-site, and by a wide margin.

What the Remote, Hybrid, and On-Site Job Stats Mean

The data above shows a disconnect between what companies are offering and what candidates want to find. While the rise in on-site job requirements may seem like a positive signal to employers that favor those arrangements, the lower number of applications also means requiring a physical presence at a worksite can limit access to talent. As a result, companies who are genuinely after the best and brightest may want to embrace some degree of flexibility whenever plausible, as doing so can make it easier to connect with the skilled candidates they need to thrive.

For candidates, the data demonstrates that finding a remote job is increasingly challenging, and the difficulty is likely to continue rising. Since that’s the case, remaining open-minded about on-site requirements is potentially wise, as that could make it easier to find a suitable opportunity.