Job seekers say telecommuting is most desired form of flexible work ⁰

According to research from Flexjobs, telecommuting has grown 103 percent since 2005 and approximately eighty to ninety percent of the workforce would like to telework at least part-time. Work-life balance (81 percent), family (56 percent), time savings (56 percent), and commute stress (48 percent) are the top reasons people seek flexible work arrangements. Millennials would put flexible working ahead of professional development training, company reputation and a sense of purpose when looking for a job. FlexJobs recently analysed the remote job listings of over 40,000 companies to determine which companies have been recruiting for the most telecommuting positions in recent months. Healthcare, technology and education were the most well-represented industries. The remote job listings at these companies are equally diverse, such as business analyst, product manager, developer, teacher, director of communications and market researcher.

In May 2016, the highest categories for flexible (remote, part-time, freelance, contract) job postings represented in the FlexJobs database were:

1.     Medical & Health

2.     Customer Service

3.     Administrative

4.     Computer & IT

5.     Sales

6.     Education & Training

“Job seekers consistently report that telecommuting is the most desired form of flexible work, with many willing to take a pay cut, forfeit vacation time or give up matching retirement savings plans for a telecommuting work arrangement,” said Sara Sutton Fell, Founder and CEO of FlexJobs.

“In fact, millennials, which now comprise the largest generation in the workforce, placed flexible working ahead of other priorities such as professional development training, reputation of the companies’ leaders and a sense of purpose when evaluating a job prospect. Companies can attract and retain the best young talent by offering flexible work opportunities and it benefits them as well, with studies showing teleworkers are more productive and less likely to take time off work than their office counterparts.”

Many of the companies in the list were also top employers for remote-friendly jobs on an annual basis, as well, having been included in FlexJobs’ 2016 Top 100 Companies for Remote Jobs. California, Texas, New York and and Florida were among the top 10 states with the most telecommuting jobs in 2015.

To see a list of the 100 best companies for flexible job click here.