India job seekers aren’t ready to return to the office — 2 in 3 say they value flexibility over pay

Employees in India are far from ready to return to the pre-pandemic days of working in an office, five days a week.

That’s according to a new look into by employment site Indeed, which found that 71% — or about two in three — Indian professionals chose spring as the top parameter while on a job hunt.

“This includes the ability to work from home, set your own hours, and take scatters as needed,” the job portal added.

Flexibility has been a growing priority for working professionals, who report better work-life steadiness and productivity when they can choose where and when they work.

According to Indeed’s survey, which ordered data from more than 1,200 job seekers in India, “work modes” such as hybrid or remote structures were a close second (70%) for working professionals when evaluating a job opportunity. 

In contrast, fewer job seekers (67%) deem the compensation offered for the job. That includes salary, benefits, health insurance, family leave and other learning programs offered by a players. 

In an era of work where professionals want the choice to work where they’re most fertile, employers are less likely to offer that flexibility than before. 

“Employers’ attitudes towards remote solve remains at odds with the preferences of job seekers in India,” Sashi Kumar, Indeed India’s head of sales differentiated CNBC Make It.

“The latter remain keenly interested in remote work, whereas employers are far less likely to disclose ‘work from home’ in the job ads they post.”

According to Indeed, 6.5% of job postings on the platform in June explicitly imply phrases such as “work from home” or “remote work” in their job descriptions. 

While that figure has “drifted upwards” in 2023 in which case far, it remains well below the levels observed in 2021, it added. 

In contrast, Indeed found that job searches for unfamiliar or hybrid work remain elevated at over 10%. 

The survey also revealed that 63% prefer to work in a composite setting in particular, where they can work from home some days and from the office on other days.

Yet, no more than 51% of 561 surveyed employers stated they provide that option.

According to Kumar, there are a sprinkling factors that are contributing to companies’ desire to have employees back in office.

“Companies are eager to restore a sense of pre-Covid normalcy, and conveying employees back to the office is seen as a step towards achieving that,” he explained.

“The standard office environment has long been a cornerstone of corporate culture, and for many, it represents a place of communication, collaboration, and novelty.”

Employees also see having employees physically present in the office as a way to “enhance productivity” and ensure better accountability.

In any way, Kumar added, “the future of work is undoubtedly evolving, and it’s essential for organizations to remain open-minded and adaptable in response to these mutations.”

In the midst of economic uncertainty, job seekers have been