Remote Working Options Support Improved Recruitment And Staff Retention, Study Reveals

According to new research, businesses looking to survive the “Great Resignation” should consider offering remote and flexible working options, though remain aware that this alone isn’t necessarily enough to retain top talent. 

HR software provider CIPHR recently surveyed over 220 UK employers to discover how the increasingly competitive talent market has impacted their recruitment drives and employee retention over the past year. 

The survey revealed that 73% of employers have experienced an increase in employees resigning voluntarily and 71% have said they found it more difficult to recruit new staff. 

According to the survey, employers who offer work from home options — either fully remote or on a hybrid basis — are having a better experience with recruitment. Only 51% of employers with remote staff  (working from home 60% to 100% of the working week) say they have found it more difficult than usual to recruit over the past 12 months. Meanwhile, this figure rises to 71% for employers who require staff to predominantly work onsite.

Commenting on the results, Claire Williams, Chief People Officer at CIPHR, said: “Over the past two years there have been fundamental changes to the ways that we work that will remain permanently.” 

“There are still far more vacancies than available candidates in some industries, which means employers need to be flexible in their approach and consider a wider range of ways to make their organisation attractive to their current workforce, as well as future talent and prospective candidates.”

“Most people don’t resign from an organisation for just one reason. They can leave due to many reasons, such as career and development opportunities, management behaviour, salaries and reward, stress, and work-life balance – every individual has their own list.”