By Many recent university graduates are quickly learning the art of compromise as they move on to the working world.
In order to secure their first job post-college, about two-thirds (67 percent) of U.S. graduates in 2021 agreed to take a pay cut, according to a survey by Breeze, a workforce disability insurance provider.
Of those that found a job after graduating, 37 percent took a fully remote position, 35 percent are working partially remotely and partially in-office and 27 percent are performing their duties entirely from an office, the study found.
The majority of graduates (58 percent) “who are working remotely to some degree also indicated that remote work will be the most important deciding factor at future job opportunities,” the report said.
“It’s become clear that employers have to treat remote work as one of the best benefits for employees and must try to incorporate remote flexibility into their hiring plans if they are to attract and retain the best talent,” Breeze said in its study.
Four in 10 graduates who accepted a job without remote work flexibility regretted their decision, the poll revealed. For those in the class of 2021 who have yet to find work, 58 percent are seeking a position that offers remote-work flexibility, while two-thirds of the group would accept a smaller salary if they could have a flexible option.
To be sure, 61 percent of those still looking for a job would “accept a job that has no remote work flexibility and makes you come into the office 100% of the time,” the report found.
Salary takes a backseat
The results follow studies that show American remote workers in general want to keep working remotely and are willing to forfeit salary and benefits in order to continue telecommuting even after the pandemic ends,
A recent survey by GoodHire revealed that a majority (61 percent) of the 3,500 Americans it polled would be willing to take a pay cut to keep telecommuting, while some said they would take a 50 percent pay cut to avoid returning to the office.
Almost half (45 percent) said they would either quit their job or find work elsewhere if forced to return to the office full time. About two-thirds (64 percent) of Americans believe companies that do not offer remote working arrangements will have to increase salary offerings to entice job seekers to apply, the report revealed.
Sixty-eight percent of those polled would choose remote work over in-person arrangements, the survey said.
Breeze’s survey polled 1,000 adult Americans between the ages of 22 and 30. To qualify for the study, each respondent had to have graduated from a four-year college or university as part of the class of 2021 and have plans to immediately enter the workforce.
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