Warrington out-performs London as a “hiring hotspot”

WARRINGTON is out-performing London as a hiring hotspot, according to recruitment platform Indeed.

And a significant increase in remote and hybrid working roles is helping to drive new opportunities across the UK, according to the date.

Using its own recruitment data, Indeed has worked with Zoom to identify the locations across the country that have seen the most significant growth in remote and hybrid job opportunities, analysing the difference in postings between February 2020, prior to the pandemic, and March 2022, when most restrictions had been lifted.

In each of the top 25 locations, job adverts that offer candidates the flexibility to work remotely have more than tripled and grown at a faster pace than the local jobs market overall – indicating that the rise in remote roles over the last two years has driven up opportunity in each area.

Warrington comes 17th in the rankings with a growth of 249 per cent in jobs offering remote working and 47 per cent in all job posting compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Worthing ranks first with a 650 per cent increase in remote roles and a 50 per cent increase in total jobs available. This is followed by Burnley, Stoke, Southend and Dundee, all of which today have more than four times as many remote roles on offer compared to before the pandemic.

London is ranked 22nd with a 230 per cent increase in posts offering remote work and a 26 per cent increase in all job posting.
The new data comes as part of a wider report launched by Zoom on how the UK can strive to become a pioneer in hybrid work, which calls on the Government to take a number of steps to help capitalise on this economic opportunity. Zoom will be discussing the report’s findings on a panel with Small Business Minister Paul Scully organised by Westminster think tank Onward on the June 6.

“The UK has the potential to be a global leader in hybrid working, and Indeed’s data shows how greater access to remote roles is already helping to drive growth in overall opportunities across the country,” said Phil Perry, head of UK and EMEA North at Zoom.

“During the pandemic, adoption of video conferencing tools like Zoom by SMEs was higher in the UK than in any other G7 country, and we are now beginning to see how greater availability of hybrid roles is expanding opportunity in areas outside of London and the South East. This underlines the vital role hybrid technologies can play in levelling up the country, and getting the conditions right now will help the UK reap long-term economic benefits.”

“The increased availability of remote and hybrid options across the UK is a boon for workers, giving them much greater choice over where they live and work,” says Jack Kennedy, UK Economist at Indeed. “It’s particularly important for those who want or need flexibility to accommodate their commitments outside of work. Employers benefit in being able to widen geographic access to talent and accommodate workers who would otherwise face barriers, which is especially valuable in a tight labour market. Moreover, being able to offer employees better work-life balance means organisations can reap the benefits of a happier and more productive workforce.”

While cities have seen an increase in the share of jobs that offer remote options, such as Manchester with a 291 per cent rise compared to pre-pandemic levels, these benefits are also being felt in towns such as Warrington, Northampton and Birkenhead, where there are now more potential opportunities for people to stay local and work remotely or on a hybrid basis.
As well as providing potential for local growth, increased job opportunities across the country are leading to the emerging trend of ‘Zoom Towns’ – a phrase coined during the pandemic that describes new regional economic activity as workers moved away from traditional city hubs. This has the potential to help drive the regeneration of both rural and suburban areas, particularly those which were previously commuter towns that may have rarely seen high street visitors during the day.