New data from LinkedIn has highlighted a general decline in the number of UK organisations hiring for fully remote positions.
As the debate around flexible working continues, the global professional network’s Economic Graph noted a 6.2% year-on-year drop in remote working positions available at large businesses.
However, small firms are opposing the trend, showing a 2.3% year-on-year increase in recruiting for fully remote positions.
The data also revealed that larger companies are experiencing greater growth in hybrid working models, finding that these arrangements have become the “new normal”.
Remote roles
Two-thirds of professional service firms stop advertising fully remote roles
In July 2024, nearly two in five (38%) of jobs advertised in the UK were promoted as hybrid, while just 10% were listed as remote. A total of 7 in 10 (70%) of positions required employees to be office based at least some of the time.
Additionally, LinkedIn found that global firms are more likely to offer remote working jobs, as their structure often requires employees to use technology, such as video conferencing tools, to communicate with colleagues around the world.
Janine Chamberlin, UK country manager at LinkedIn, said: “It’s important to balance the benefits of in-person working with flexibility. There’s not a one-size-fits-all answer to how and where we work. Certain projects lend themselves better to in-person collaboration, while others require isolated thinking that can be easier to do at home.”
Explaining that artificial intelligence should ease the burden of carrying out daily workplace tasks, she believes we are already seeing human skills – such as creativity and communication – growing in importance.
Chamberlin added: “Being together, exchanging ideas and working as a team is an important aspect of that, so where possible, collaboration should be prioritised when teams are in the office. However, it’s important that employees are enabled to do their best work, which means offering a degree of flexibility. This will be crucial for employers to retain a competitive edge.”
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