Laura Lloyd headshot Written by: Laura Lloyd

Challenges in recruiting and retaining remote workers

Much of today’s corporate workforce now exists in a hybrid or entirely remote role. This was something that was a rarity pre-COVID pandemic, but after more than two years post lockdown, those work dynamics have changed drastically. 

With this new desire from employees for more flexibility in their schedules and to work remotely, there are new challenges that hiring managers and leaders are having to deal with. Here are a couple of things you need to keep in mind as you pursue new talent and focus on retaining them:

You are now seeking a candidate that wants to be remote

One of the challenges as a recruiter or hiring manager is understanding you likely won’t be able to recruit a candidate to relocate or commit to an entirely in-person position. Relocation has been one of the single biggest challenges facing recruitment in 2022. During the pandemic, people made the decision that they wanted to live where they wanted to live and then found a job that let them do that.

Eric Handler having a meeting with his team
  • Hiring managers need to know that they are now seeking a candidate for either a hybrid remote or 100-percent remote position. Remote workers now make up a significant portion of the working population, and they are reporting some of the highest levels of job satisfaction and lowest levels of interest in making a move. This is something that has changed the workforce dramatically and indefinitely. 

You have to stay focused on developing employees

According to a study from McKinsey & Company, 41% of respondents polled said that a lack of career advancement and development was the top reason why they chose to leave a previous job. Even in a remote environment, managers and leaders must stay focused on building relationships and encouraging employees in these leadership journeys.

  • Employees still have a strong desire to progress in their jobs. So, one of the biggest challenges for leadership is to find ways to offer advancement opportunities in the current remote environment.

You have to continue to train employees

Over the past two years, we’ve seen employers put a lot of emphasis on learning and employee relations. The remote work environment is very conducive to training and building skills because there’s so much that can be done online.

  • Managers are going to have to be intentional with this training, and they will need to make sure employees are in an environment conducive to training. Give them opportunities over the course of a year, quarter, or month to set aside time for training. 

Corporate employees now have the ability to work from just about anywhere. This presents new work opportunities for them, and they have responded by saying this is exactly what they want. 


This is going to require a shift in philosophy for many business leaders, but the reality is that this is the new normal for businesses, and it’s here to stay for the foreseeable future.