Some US cities paying remote workers to relocate amid COVID-19 pandemic
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- It's been nearly a year since we were all asked to limit travel and stay home as much as possible. But that hasn't stopped people from moving their households to another place, whether for a new job or a better living situation.
Since many employers are now allowing workers to opt for a more permanent work from home or remote working situation, some of those employees are considering relocating according to staffing manager Kendall Strickland.
"We've all been kind of, you know, cooped up in our homes for almost given a year now, right," Strickland told ABC11. "So some folks are just looking for a change of scenery, as well as a lower cost of living."
Strickland runs the Raleigh branch of Robert Half International, a staffing agency that supplies temporary and full time specialty workers.
It recently surveyed 1,000 workers across the country and learned that a lot of them, 51 percent would consider relocating either in their current remote working job or a new one, even in the midst of the pandemic.
Strickland said the trend toward remote working is also good for companies looking for workers noting, "If they're set up correctly to have all of their employees work remotely, then you know, they have access to such a larger candidate pool and such a larger talent pool."
That may be another reason the survey also showed nearly four in ten, 38 percent, of employers are open to allowing current employees to relocate.
But if salary rates are lower at the employee's new location, 75 percent aren't willing to take a pay cut to do it, according to the Robert Half survey.
"Some organizations are starting to look at national salary ranges as opposed to local salary ranges, especially when it comes to hiring," Strickland said.
Cities and towns across America from Kansas to Ohio are also trying to capitalize on the 'remote work' trend.
Some are offering incentives of $10,000 or more to attract new and talented residents.
"I could certainly see individuals moving to more remote locations or economies that are kind of offering incentives to move there," said Strickland.
Our area, popular with migrating workers for decades, hasn't needed to offer incentives.
Its popularity has certainly increased the cost of living in the Triangle.
Triangle home prices rise but so do affordable-housing concerns
So some remote workers here may wish to simply move a little further out since they wouldn't have to worry about lengthening their commute.
"Some people are maybe looking at, you know, lower cost of living maybe a little bit outside of town, maybe they're able to purchase a larger home," Strickland said.
But the Triangle is still affordable compared to many other areas.
So with our climate and other amenities, the work from anywhere world will likely continue the trend of more workers coming here as well.
If you are interested in the cities and towns offering relocation incentives, here's some we found but note that there are others, including some states that offer incentives.
