Trends and Opportunities in Remote Work

Leaders across Iowa worry about declining populations and the difficulties they have in attracting new people to work in their communities. Common barriers include the types of jobs they are trying to fill, perceptions about life in Iowa, as well as dual professional families and the trailing spouse issue that follows. One direction communities across the nation are taking to attract new people is to target marketing to remote workers - or potential remote workers. IDM has compiled this report to highlight trends in telecommuting, including the industries and occupations or career categories that have high remote job potential. The report highlights some great examples of what communities across the country are doing to attract telecommuters. Be sure to take a look for insights into what your community might do to take advantage of the availability of this pool of human capital.

Remote Work Trends in the United States

According to research by Gallup, “In 2019, 60% of remote-capable employees spent their week working fully on-site, whereas that figure has fallen to just 20% in 2023. In contrast, only 8% worked exclusively remotely in 2019, compared with the 29% of remote-capable employees who are fully remote today. At the same time, hybrid work has increased significantly, en route to becoming the most prevalent work arrangement in most offices.”

Many workers who choose to telecommute have grown tired of big city living and prefer a more rural setting. This article identifies common jobs that can be performed by telecommuters, provides examples of what some states are doing to attract telecommuters and lists site location considerations that communities should be aware of. 

Jobs with a high number that telework

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a disproportionate share of employees in the following occupations have telework available (relative to the total population of 9.6%):

  • Legal (50.1%)
  • Computer and mathematical (47.6%)
  • Business and financial operations (40.8%)
  • Management (29.6%)
  • Architecture and engineering (29.3%)
  • Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media (27.3%)
  • Life, physical, and social science (16.7%)
  • Community and social service (12.5%)
  • Sales and related (10.2%)

Several of the 25 fastest-growing jobs offer remote opportunities, according to a LinkedIn report. These include:

  • Director of Legal Operations, 65.1% remote; 6.3% hybrid
  • Artificial Intelligence Engineer, 64.3% remote; 11.9% hybrid
  • Head of Partnerships, 40.5% remote; 37.4% hybrid
  • Transmissions Planning Engineer, 34.3% remote; 25.1% hybrid
  • Chief Growth Officer, 33.6% remote; 25% hybrid
  • Director of Development Services, 25% remote; 22.5% hybrid
  • Recruiter, 31.3% remote; 24.5% hybrid
  • Sustainability Analyst, 19.6% remote; 36.8% hybrid
  • Instructional Systems Specialist, 15.2% remote; 2.2% hybrid
  • Environmental Health Safety Manager, 14.3% remote; 22.5% hybrid

According to Virtual Vocations, the top industries for fully remote jobs include :

  1. Information Technology (trending examples: Software Engineer, Data Architect, Software Developer, Network Engineer, Security Analyst)
  2. Healthcare (Nurse Practitioner, Pharmacist, Nurse Case Manager, Medical Coder, Therapist)
  3. Marketing (Marketing Manager, Advertising Manager, SEO Specialist, Marketing Assistant, Social Media Specialist)
  4. Sales (Sale Associate, Sales Representative, Sales Executive, Sales Director, Sales Agent)
  5. Financial (Financial Analyst, Risk Manager, Underwriter, Loan Officer, Tax Specialist)
  6. Management (Customer Success Manager, Data Manager, General Manager, Senior Manager, Operations Manager)
  7. Human Resources (Human Resources Specialist, Human Resources Director, Human Resources Manager, Recruiter, Human Resources Generalist)
  8. Customer Service (Customer Support Specialist, Bilingual Customer Support Specialist, Customer Service Manager, Technical Support Specialist)
  9. Product Management (Product Manager, Product Owner, Senior Product Manager, Product Management Director, Technical Product Manager)
  10. Project Management (Technical Project Manager, Project Manager, Project Lead, Project Analyst, Project Management Director)

What have communities done to attract remote workers?

In 2018, the Utah Legislature approved two programs to build a strong network of telecommuters in remote areas. “The Rural Online Initiative (ROI) is designed to provide Utah’s rural workforce and businesses with education, training, and services for online opportunities in remote employment, freelance work, and e-commerce.” The Legislature also approved spending $1.5 million for the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI), which was meant “to incentivize businesses that create jobs locally, remotely, online, or in a ‘satellite hub’ in counties of the fourth, fifth or sixth class (populations of less than 31,000).” Businesses could get an incentive of $4,000 to $6,000 per employee for each new high-paying position created in rural (nonmetropolitan) areas.  This pilot program collaborated with public and private sector partners to facilitate education for online opportunities in remote employment.

In 2021, the State of Utah Remote Work Guide was created. This Guide includes best practices for long-term success with remote work programs.

A report by the Wisconsin Policy Forum states that programs designed to attractive remote workers are rare in Wisconsin, but have identified one such program. In 2022, Fond du Lac County offered a 50% match to aid employers in offering an incentive of up to $15,000 to relocate from outside the county. If the employee remained in the county and in their job for a year, the program reimbursed employers for half the incentive.

Vermont will pay a remote worker up to $7,500 in moving expenses and other costs to move to Vermont. They are hoping to entice out-of-state workers, so current residents are not eligible. The remote worker must be employed by a company that is based outside the state. Eligible expenses include moving expenses and the costs of moving supplies.

The Tulsa Remote program will pay remote workers $10,000 to move to Tulsa, Oklahoma for a year. The program offers other incentives including a membership to the 36 Degrees North co-working space, wellness resources, access to healthcare options, plus events to help workers get settled. Nearly 10,000 people applied during the first round, and the organization selected 100 individuals.

Paducah, Kentucky offers a Remote Worker Incentive Program that allows qualified individuals to received up to $2,500 reimbursement for expenses associated with relocating to the City of Paducah.[7] Eligible expenses include renter’s deposit and moving costs. An internet allowance of up to $70 per month for 12 months is included, as is a payroll tax waiver for 12 months, and a quality of life package valued at nearly $1,150.

This article from Forbes features the Tulsa Remote program and includes short descriptions and links to several other similar incentive programs.

Site location considerations

Despite the growth in remote work, not all remote jobs can be performed from any U.S. location. Virtual Vocations notes “Telecommute jobs provide numerous benefits for individuals and businesses alike, but companies can’t always offer employment to out-of-state workers. Sometimes, telecommute jobs are restricted by geographic location for legal, financial, or operational reasons.”  Some considerations for communities include:

Internet - communities should have high internet speeds and robust, reliable and affordable broadband connections. High speed broadband is defined as 25 megabits per second download speed and 5 megabits to upload. 

Favorable labor laws – each state has its own set of requirements and can affect minimum wages paid, The Family and Medical Leave Act, workers’ compensation and background checks.

Tax policies – hiring out-of-state employees creates more work for companies to set up correct tax withholdings and accounts. 

Health insurance – some companies do not qualify for group plans if their workforce is scattered across the nation.

Professional Certification or Licensing Requirements – Certain occupations require workers to pass a state exam and become certified to work in that state. Licenses and certifications do not always cross state lines.

(Note: this article was originally published by IDM in 2019 and has been updated as of January 2024)