LinkedIn Data Shows Women and Gen Z Are More Likely to Apply to Remote Jobs

Women, people without advanced degrees, and certain generations are more likely to pursue remote jobs

In the wake of COVID, talent leaders have already been discussing how hiring remote workers can make it easier to build a diverse workforce. But understandably, these discussions are usually from the perspective of the recruiting team — how remote policies allow them to consider more candidates beyond their local market. “It opens up a broader pool of talent that you can hire,” says Damien Hooper-Campbell, Zoom’s chief diversity officer.

Today’s new data from LinkedIn reveals more about the other side of the coin: the candidate’s perspective. It’s not just that remote work allows you to cast a wider net — it’s that certain groups of candidates are more likely to seek out remote work. Knowing this can help you build a more diverse workforce.

Women are 26% more likely to apply to remote jobs than men  *Insights from LinkedIn

Women are 26% more likely than men to apply for remote work. That may be because women shoulder a disproportionate amount of unpaid work, such as childcare and eldercare, at home. The flexibility of remote work can allow people to better balance responsibilities at home while maintaining a full-time job.

People with a bachelor’s degree or lower are 23% more likely to apply to remote jobs than people with higher degrees  *Insights from LinkedIn

Education is also correlated with interest in remote work. Those whose highest degree is a bachelor’s or lower (associate’s degree, high school diploma, etc.) are almost 25% more likely to apply for remote jobs.

Those with the most advanced degrees (PhDs, master’s degrees, etc.) were significantly less likely to apply for remote work. That could be because those with higher degrees are better able to afford childcare and other expenses or that some roles that require advanced degrees — like doctors or pharmacists — simply can’t be done 100% remotely.

Whatever the reason, it spells another opportunity for companies focused on skills, not schools. Since candidates without advanced degrees may be more interested in remote work, it’s a great opportunity to improve the diversity of your company with a skills-based hiring approach, judging candidates by their capabilities rather than their educational credentials.

Gen Z job seekers are 17% more likely to apply to remote jobs than other generations  *Insights from LinkedIn
Baby boomers are 15% more likely to apply to remote jobs than other generations  *Insights from LinkedIn

Similarly, LinkedIn data shows that the workforce’s youngest and oldest generations — Gen Z and Baby Boomers — are also more likely to seek out remote jobs.

Baby Boomer applicants may be more wary of in-person jobs, and more senior roles could be more amenable to remote work; Gen Z applicants, as “digital natives,” may be more comfortable with the technology and virtual collaboration that remote work requires. Age can sometimes be an overlooked aspect of diversity, but fostering a multigenerational workforce can offer invaluable perspectives and strengths.

Remote applicants are looking for autonomy, work-life balance, and excellent compensation

If you’re already actively recruiting remote workers, it can be useful to know what they care about and how that compares to the broader population.

According to LinkedIn’s Talent Drivers Survey conducted from April to December 2020, the biggest priority that differentiates remote job seekers is, unsurprisingly, flexible work arrangements. Remote seekers were over 40% more likely to select it as one of their top five priorities when considering a new job.

But when you look past that most obvious difference, you uncover some other interesting distinctions.

For more data and other Linkedin articles click here

By Maren Gonzales
Maren Gonzales Communications Associate