IT and telecoms is the sector where candidates are most likely to be able to find a role working remotely, according to a study by e-learning platform Preply.
Its analysis of job listings in January 2022 found that almost a quarter (23%) of total jobs listed as offering remote working were in this sector, closely followed by media, digital and creative (18%) and the charity sector (16%).
The shift to remote working prompted by the pandemic has driven an increase in job searches for it around the country, according to Preply. Swansea has seen the UK’s highest increase in demand for remote jobs since 2018, with searches for ‘remote jobs’ up by 1,575%.
Leicester experienced a 1,239% rise in remote job searches. Birmingham had the third-highest increase (up 971%), followed by Northampton (up 783%) and Leeds (up 766%) respectively.
Unsurprisingly, people-led industries including hospitality, manufacturing and automotive ranked low in terms of number of remote roles offered. Just 0.4% of hospitality and catering roles were offered as remote work in January.
In Scotland, the most avid remote job hunters are Glasgow, where searches are up by 376% since 2018. In Northern Ireland, the capital city of Belfast takes top place, with searches for remote roles up 310%.
“It is truly fantastic to see UK employers becoming increasingly open-minded towards flexi-work structures in the longer term – as confirmed in our study, the demand for ‘remote work’ in 2022 is higher than ever. Adapting to the varying lifestyles of today’s workforce is not only vital to retaining great talent, but is also a contributing factor in boosting morale and productivity,” said Yolanda del Peso, a marketing specialist at Preply.
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“Alongside the benefits for employees, flexi-structures also open up a larger pool of hiring opportunities for UK businesses, offering access to some the best talent from all over the world. With proven positives seen on either side, we expect to see a notable shift towards more flexibility in the workplace this year.”
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