Skip to Content
Lucas Group White Logo Lucas Group Blue Logo LucasGroup
Skip Main Menu
  • Find a Job
    • Find a Job
      • Direct Hire Jobs
      • Contract Jobs
      • Create a Military Profile
      • Career Insights
    • Our Practice Areas
      • Accounting
      • Finance
      • Human Resources
      • Information Technology
      • Legal
      • Manufacturing Operations
      • Marketing
      • Sales
      • Supply Chain
  • Fill a Position
    • Fill a Position
      • Our Process
      • Direct Hire Search
      • Retained Search
      • Contract Solutions
      • Executive Insights
      • Request Services
    • Our Practice Areas
      • Accounting
      • Finance
      • Human Resources
      • Information Technology
      • Legal
      • Manufacturing Operations
      • Marketing
      • Sales
      • Supply Chain
  • Military Transition
    • Transitioning Veterans
      • Military Job Seekers
      • Hiring Conferences & Events
      • Military Job Seeker Resources
      • Success Stories
    • Hire Military
      • Military Transition Recruiting
      • Military Hiring Conferences
      • Hiring Success Stories
      • Request Services
  • About Us
    • About Lucas Group
      • Our Values
      • What We Do
      • Executive Leadership
      • Meet Our Team
      • Our Locations
      • Media Room
      • Resource Center
    • Careers at Lucas Group
      • Work at Lucas Group
      • Life at Lucas Group
      • Proud to Hire Heroes
  • Contact

Home » Your Career Intel » Understanding the Bigger Picture at Work - Lucas Group » What Job Candidates Are Saying About Work from Home Jobs — And How You Can Better Recruit Them

Your Career Intel

Back to All Posts
  • All Posts
  • Land the Job
  • Grow Your Career
  • Be a Leader
  • The Big Picture
  • Diversity & Inclusion

What Job Candidates Are Saying About Work from Home Jobs — And How You Can Better Recruit Them

Dan Massello

Posted by Dan Massello , Executive Senior Partner - Direct Hire August 18, 2021

SHARE

“What’s the company’s work-from-home policy?” 

Pre-COVID, this is a question that came up later – if at all – during my conversations with job seekers. Today, it’s one of the first questions that they ask. It’s also become a standard question on our client intake forms. It’s such an expected line item for candidates that not having a clear policy can put your business at a real disadvantage.  

Fully Remote, In-Person or Hybrid: What Do Job Seekers Want? 

There’s been a lot of attention given to how a year plus of remote work has changed our expectations for the workday. In a competitive talent market, candidates aren’t afraid to say “no” to companies that don’t align with their needs. In a few cases, I’ve spoken to candidates that strongly prefer to be 100% remote. Others are the opposite: they want to be in the office meeting with people in-person. But the vast majority of candidates I speak with prefer a hybrid approach.  

For many candidates, hybrid work weeks offer the best of both worlds, providing invaluable work-life balance. They gain flexibility to address personal needs or skip a lengthy daily commute. For example, consider a candidate living in downtown Chicago who doesn’t have a car. Commuting to a suburban office five days a week won’t make sense but coming in one or two days a week might be an option. Companies that are willing to consider more flexible policies benefit from a deeper talent pool and more satisfied employees. 

Why a Work From Home Policy Matters for Hiring Success 

Recently, I worked with a candidate who accepted a new position. The company onboarded him fully remote and told him they planned to return to a hybrid work week. He believed the hybrid setup would be two days in the office and three at home, which he was excited about. 

Soon, though, the company said it would actually be four days in the office and one day working remotely. This caught him off guard. With a commute of over an hour each way, the time burden just didn’t make sense. The candidate had to move on from the company because of that miscommunication. 

I don’t fault the hiring manager for this outcome. They told the candidate what they anticipated would happen, but then senior leadership changed the policy. Unfortunately, the company lost a great new hire in the process. This is why it’s imperative to have a clearly defined work-from-home policy and be transparent about this policy throughout the hiring process. If changes do need to be made, it’s better to move from restrictive to more flexible rather than the other way. With so much in flux at the moment, candidates are considering a number of factors when making job decisions, and in general, the more flexible your business can be, the more attractive your company will look. 

Beyond Flexible Schedules: Adding Other Benefits to Your Work from Home Policy 

A work from home policy can encompass much more than a hybrid schedule. It may include a stipend for a home office, complimentary laptops, monitors and phones, or access to furniture like a standing desk or ergonomic chair. You may offer additional training or resources that other companies don’t. 

The perks can also be tangentially related to working remotely. For example, at Lucas Group, we offer mental awareness programs and resources. The pandemic has taken a toll on mental health, with four in 10 adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder. If your company has initiatives to address mental well-being, be sure your candidates know about them.  

Remote work flexibility continues to be in high demand. Has your company made permanent changes to its work from home policy? I invite you to share what’s been successful for your business in the comments below. 

Lucas Group Logo LucasGroup
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Contact Us
  • Find a Job
  • Direct Hire Jobs
  • Contract Jobs
  • Create a Military Profile
  • Career Insights
  • Fill a Position
  • Our Process
  • Direct Hire Search
  • Retained Search
  • Contract Solutions
  • Executive Insights
  • Request Services
  • Transitioning Veterans
  • Military Job Seekers
  • Hiring Conferences & Events
  • Military Job Seeker Resources
  • Success Stories
  • Hire Military
  • Military Transition Recruiting
  • Military Hiring Conferences
  • Hiring Success Stories
  • Request Services
  • About Lucas Group
  • Our Values
  • What We Do
  • Executive Leadership
  • Meet Our Team
  • Our Locations
  • Media Room
  • Resource Center
  • Careers at Lucas Group
  • Work at Lucas Group
  • Life at Lucas Group
  • Proud to Hire Heroes
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • Contact

© 2022 Lucas Group. All rights reserved. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.