Mark Yampanis, a Gen Xer based in California, decided to quit his remote job of 20 years after his company ordered him back to the office. Despite his decades of experience, Yampanis has found it difficult to find a new remote job as remote job postings are dwindling. Even amid the pandemic, Yampanis had been working remotely since 2002 at a major telecommunications company. However, last year he noticed that his long-established remote work arrangement was ending, and his office wanted people back in the office. He made the decision to quit his job and look for remote roles elsewhere, but after nine months he has had little success and may consider retiring.
The trend of widespread, full-time remote work might be coming to an end as more companies require employees to return to the office. According to LinkedIn, only 9% of job postings in August were for remote roles, down from 21% in March 2022. In contrast, nearly half of all applications on the site were for remote positions. Remote jobs on ZipRecruiter’s platform are also narrowing, receiving nearly three times the number of applicants compared to in-person roles. Many companies are implementing return-to-office mandates in hopes of improving productivity and team cohesion. However, Yampanis, with his expertise in systems engineering and software architecture, remains confident that he can find a stable remote position.
Yampanis faced some initial challenges when transitioning to full-time telecommuting, such as participating in meetings and collaborating with teammates without being in the same room. However, as a pioneer in remote work, he quickly adapted and learned to communicate effectively on calls. Yampanis noticed that his industry began to adopt new return-to-office policies, prompting him to consider leaving his current job. He found that most technology jobs in his area would require a long commute, making remote work the best option for him. Despite the difficulties he has faced in finding a new remote job, Yampanis remains determined to continue his search and may consider retirement or volunteer work if he is unable to secure a remote position.