Searches for remote jobs are 556% up following Elon Musk’s email leak

The tycoon whose name has been long connected to the idea of progress with a human face demanded his Tesla workers spend in the office at least 40 hours a week — or be fired. Something went wrong though…

Last week an email has been leaked where Elon Musk tells Tesla workers to return to the office full time or resign.

After the revealed letter made headlines, we decided to dig into the numbers. Has Musk’s statement accelerated return to offices across the world?

We analyzed Google trends data and discovered that it triggered the exact opposite effect:

• searches for “work when you want remote jobs” have risen by 556%
• searches for “what remote jobs are in demand” are up +357%
• at the same time, searches for “remote positions” and “remote part-time jobs” are 85% and 105% up respectively, and reached an all-time high.

Aleksandr Volodarsky, CEO at Lemon.io, commented:

“The past few years have proven that remote working benefits both employees and employers. With a better work-life balance, devoid of the grueling daily commute, employees are healthier, happier, and even richer. After all, as the cost of living spirals globally, businesses should not overlook commute-free relief. Remote working provides better outcomes for employers since the happy staff is the productive staff! Any doubters should look to future-shaping venture capitalists, who have recently invested millions in global companies run from bedrooms. Rather than forcing outdated practices, leaders must embrace this change and consider how to use it to their advantage. Otherwise, like those already searching for remote jobs, talent will simply seek flexibility elsewhere.”

With a better work-life balance, devoid of the grueling daily commute, employees are healthier, happier and even richer. After all, as the cost of living spirals globally, businesses should not overlook the commute-free relief.

Aleksandr Volodarsky, CEO at Lemon.io

According to research, jobs with remote or hybrid work opportunities attract four times more applicants than in-person roles. And this trend is sure to continue. The newfound flexibility and work-life balance experienced by the workers have changed the workforce forever.  People are not willing to return to the offices and spend all of that extra time commuting, and many would even choose flexibility over a pay raise. 

With Great Resignation and the rise of popularity of remote work, the message from the workforce is clear. Those companies that are unable to accept the new reality are bound to continue struggling to attract talent. 

In the long run, it’s already clear that companies can’t just return to the pre-pandemic normality and bring everyone back to the office. It is easy to see that more and more jobs will become virtual in the future as companies turn to this perk as a means of attracting much-needed talent.

The trends of remote working become even more distinct and global after the COVID pandemics when we suddenly realized that technical progress allows us to remain productive and efficient with no 9-to-5 ties whatsoever. Doing all he can to speed up the world and make it a better place to live, Elon Musk can eventually come to the same thought. Will he?