[Dramatic Changes in the Japanese-English Bilingual Labor Market in the US] 6. Surge in Demand for Remote and Hybrid Work
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant changes in work arrangements. Many companies encouraged remote work during the pandemic, with some even allowing employees to work from outside of the United States. As a result, some employees relocated out of comfortable commuting zones and some even purchased homes in these areas as well. After experiencing this for the past several years, it’s understandable that the number of job seekers who prefer daily commuting to the office has drastically declined. Furthermore, more people are now clearly voicing their preferences of flexibility and comfort, something they might not have been able to do before. In recent years, our recruiting consultants have frequently mentioned this issue in their daily reports. Out of curiosity and to better understand the reality of this trend, we began surveying the registrants to our management database, Job Navigator, about their preferred work arrangements.
Although the survey is still ongoing, an overwhelming number of respondents from California have expressed a preference for remote work. This trend is also evident among registrants in metropolitan areas such as New York and Washington, D.C. In Japan, many companies are still concentrated in major urban areas and are requesting employees to return to the office. However, in the United States, the shift away from cities began long before the pandemic, as internet speeds became fast enough to be reliable anywhere in the country. This allowed companies to relocate from major cities and contributed to a nationwide distribution of operations. While not all job types can be done remotely, accepting applicants who prefer remote or hybrid work has become a modern necessity for roles such as accounting, payroll, systems development, consulting, design, sales, research, and certain types of customer service, which are supported by advanced software. Looking toward the future, securing talent will require a flexible approach that doesn’t revolve solely around commuting, and companies will need to overhaul their human resources management systems accordingly.
Written by Masato Fujihara, President
Interesse International Group
Came to New York as an expatriate for an HR company in January 1994. Became independent in 1996 and started own business in defiance of return-to-Japan order by the company. Currently, Interesse International Group has 11 locations in the United States and established a Japanese subsidiary in 2022. With 30 years of knowledge and experience in the HR industry, Interesse International Group delivers practical information to clients.
