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Three years into the pandemic, and the business world has learned something: Remote work is not only possible, for many, it’s preferable. This approach can lead to happy teams who enjoy the life-work balance without compromising productivity.
That’s why many employers are settling into a flexible model, whether full-time or hybrid, tailoring an approach that works best for their organization.
“Remote work is here to stay,” said Melissa Cosenzo, a market manager at Robert Half International, a recruitment agency with offices in Uniondale. “We’ve seen it across the gamut on Long Island, across all industries.”
Still, there are those leaders who want their teams back in the office, said Janet Lenaghan, dean of the Frank G. Zarb School of Business at Hofstra University.
“It’s not a one-size-fits-all,” Lenaghan said. “It’s driven by organizational culture and leadership.”
Yet those organizations without at least a hybrid model may be missing out on a broader talent pool, which employers need at a time of low unemployment as hiring remains a challenge. But to flourish, organizations must stay accountable to both their client and their employees, and employees must assert themselves so that they don’t miss out on opportunities that lead to growth, experts say.
Just how prevalent is the new world of work? Robert Half recently published research that found that 87% of workers considering a job change are interested in hybrid or fully remote positions. A look at job listings show these workers have options, with 28% of all new job postings in January 2023 advertised as remote, similar to the 29% of postings a year ago.
At press time, the balance seemed to favor employee preferences, and Lenaghan points to the nation’s unemployment numbers.
January, she said, had the lowest unemployment numbers since May 1969, and added another 500,000...