Dwindling remote opportunities

02 Dec Dwindling remote opportunities

Image by Holger Langmaier from Pixabay

I’m not gonna be shy or modest here. I WARNED YOU THIS WAS COMING!

This is one of the reasons why I say, IMO, if you wait to be “officially” told something, you have waited too late.

“The ‘great remote work mismatch’ is here: Workers are looking for WFH roles that are dwindling before their eyes.” –https://www.yahoo.com/video/great-remote-mismatch-workers-looking-201735856.html

“The push to return to normal has found the spark companies need to kick it into high gear.

We’ve gone through just about every narrative at this point: remote work is dead, it’s here to stay, it is the new normal. Whatever side of the argument you may be on, one thing stands true: Employers are offering fewer and fewer remote work opportunities even as demand for such work remains.

The result: ‘the great remote work mismatch,’ LinkedIn’s head of economics and global labor markets, Rand Ghayad, told The Washington Post. Labor mismatches have typically centered around skills in pre-pandemic times, he explained. Now, he said, ‘Workers are looking for jobs that offer certain attributes—like the ability to work remotely—that employers aren’t willing to offer.'” -from Yahoo, emphasis mine

So tell me what to do now, cuz…

THEY WANT YOU BACK! 🎶

Ya know how I’ve said REPEATEDLY that the root of this is surveillance and control? Yup.
–https://causeyconsultingllc.com/2022/10/07/they-want-you-back-the-blog-post/

“As of October, there were two on-site job openings for every one applicant looking for work, according to a recent report written by Ghayad. On the flip side, there were two applicants for every one remote work opening available. That’s because the number of jobs posted on LinkedIn that tout remote work has fallen to just 14% of openings after ballooning since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the report.” -from Yahoo, emphasis mine

Ahhhh. I see. So while we’re still getting the TWO OPEN JOBS narrative, they’re now adding an important tidbit of info: two open jobs that require you to be butt-in-seat.

“But now the clamps are tightening. Business leaders no longer feel the pressure to offer remote work if their idea of a productive, well-run workforce is instead fully in-office, five days a week. Employers see themselves now as holding the cards; there’s a belief that looming layoffs amid a sliding economy means workers will be more desperate for work and forgo the demands they made during the pandemic when they held the winning hand.” -from Yahoo

Just as the pendulum will swing away from being an extreme sellers’ market with buyers willing to waive inspections, overbid, offer based on photos without even going to the house, etc., this will happen with the job market as well. It’s only a matter of time.

This is one of the reasons why I have repeatedly said that job seekers should try to gain as much from The Great Resignation as possible – because the day will come when the market changes.
–https://causeyconsultingllc.com/2022/04/04/when-the-pendulum-swings/  published on April 4, 2022

“Some of the novelty of remote work has seemingly worn off for workers, especially if they’re simply trying to find work.” -from Yahoo

😆 Uh no. That totally sounds like corporate propaganda to me. If the novelty had worn off, then why TF are so many people looking for remote work? That assertion doesn’t even make sense in light of the entire headline of the freakin’ article.

“Not to mention, Ghayad points out in the report, the advent of remote work has provided more opportunities for diverse candidates and workers with disabilities.

‘While the current hiring declines cloud the near-term economic outlook, both factors bode well for the longer-term prospects of helping create economic opportunity for those who face significant barriers navigating the job market,’ Ghayad wrote in the report. ‘As we face ongoing uncertainty and a possible downturn, we are at risk of going backwards and a retrenchment from progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace—remote work can be a powerful way to attract, support, and retain great talent from all backgrounds.'” -from Yahoo

Some of these companies DGAF. Let’s be real. They trot out photo opps on social media and put up rainbow flags at Pride Month and then hire WASP straight males. They only “celebrate diversity” when their marketing department tells them to.

The tide has turned, folks. I’ve warned you before that The Great Resignation for white-collar work is done. Buckle up because I think we are in for a bumpy ride.