Job searches for remote work surge in Feb-May: Report

Job searches for remote work in India have surged by over 377 percent from February to May amid the coronavirus crisis, a report said. Job seekers across the country are showing greater interest in working remotely, with a spurt in search for terms like 'remote', 'work from home' and related phrases, job site Indeed said in the report.

Searches for remote work have increased by over 377 percent as a share of all searches on Indeed India from February to May 2020, it added. Similarly, job postings for remote work and work from home have also seen an increase of 168 percent.

"COVID-19 has forced many of us to change the way we work, powering a huge shift towards remote working that is expected to continue.

It is here that industries need to think collaboratively to develop future proof workforce strategies and support at-risk workers in reskilling and up-skilling.

"COVID-19 might have put 'in-person' dreams on the back-burner, but it also gives an opportunity to prepare ourselves to realize them in the meantime," Indeed India MD Sashi Kumar said. In some of its previous studies it found that 83 percent of job seekers consider remote work policy an important factor when searching for a job.

Not only that, but 53 percent of employees would also consider taking a pay cut in order to have access to remote working options. About 56 percent of employees and 83 percent of employers concur that offering flexibility in working can help boost productivity, it added.

Further, searches for remote work increased by over 261 percent as a share of all searches on Indeed India since February-March.

However, the number of available job postings for remote work opportunities has remained relatively unchanged during the same time period, it added.