As we transition out of the height of the pandemic and into warmer weather, many companies are finalizing decisions about where their workforce will be located moving forward.  In many industries, a hybrid or back-to-office approach will gradually phase out remote work.

But if you are attempting to recruit technology talent and your policies are on-site or hybrid – you’ll be out of luck. These jobs will be the last to get filled in 2022. Prior to the pandemic, technologists were already in a great position to negotiate for remote or hybrid work options. Now, two years later, the demand for remote work is soaring – as is the demand for tech talent.

Whether it’s safety, comfort, or the fact that their team is spread out across multiple states and time zones– tech workers are wholly uninterested in making a regular appearance in-office, even on a part time basis. This isn’t new and it isn’t going away.

Hybrid schedules can be just as limiting and difficult to manage as being in the office full time.  You negate commuter savings when you don’t purchase a reduced-price monthly pass. Many childcare providers seek full-week positions instead of piece-meal work. For an employee, the headache of managing a hybrid schedule just isn’t worth it. 

Candidates are excited to move new roles, but they are also making the decision to back out or flat our reject positions that are forcing (or hinting at) a hybrid schedule. Unemployment is historically low, demand is high, and they have options. There are too many open remote jobs to make the hybrid schedule the hill to die on.

There needs to be a compelling reason that a job that can be done 3 days a week remotely but can’t be done 5 days a week remotely.  If HR can’t clearly verbalize the necessity of the hybrid schedule, these positions will remain open. If you are attempting to woo technologists in 2022, help make their decision to interview or accept your job by nixing the hybrid requirement.