Business Express is an online portal that covers the latest developments in the world of business and finance. From startups and entrepreneurship to mergers and acquisitions, Business Express provides reporting on the stories that matter most to business leaders and decision-makers.The website publishes news, press releases, opinion and advertorials on various financial organizations, products and services which are commissioned from various Companies, Organizations, PR agencies, Bloggers etc. These commissioned articles are commercial in nature. This is not to be considered as financial advice and should be considered only for information purposes. It does not reflect the views or opinion of our website and is not to be considered an endorsement or a recommendation. We cannot guarantee the accuracy or applicability of any information provided with respect to your individual or personal circumstances. Please seek Professional advice from a qualified professional before making any financial decisions. We link to various third-party websites, affiliate sales networks, and to our advertising partners websites. When you view or click on certain links available on our articles, our partners may compensate us for displaying the content to you or make a purchase or fill a form. This will not incur any additional charges to you. To make things simpler for you to identity or distinguish advertised or sponsored articles or links, you may consider all articles or links hosted on our site as a commercial article placement. We will not be responsible for any loss you may suffer as a result of any omission or inaccuracy on the website.
iStock 843533330 - Business Express
Online job hunting Hands with computer tablet reading employment ads infront of crowd of people

Lying about remote working in job ads and interviews is neither sensible nor moral


134 - Business ExpressBy Alexander Dick, CEO of Alexander Lyons Solutions

For many white-collar workers, the idea of working from home used to be an aspiration enjoyed by a select few, rather than an everyday reality.

In plenty of cases, bosses were reluctant to dip their toes into the remote working pool, for fear that doing so could have a harmful impact on team efficiency and cohesion. However, with the advent of COVID, employers the world over were forced to put their reservations about remote working to one side, so as to ensure their staff could carry out their duties and maintain some semblance of ‘business as usual’.

The results of this imposed ‘experiment’ were far more promising than many business leaders could have expected. Output-per-hour worked was 2.3% above the 2019 average in the last quarter of 2021, according to the Office for National Statistics [ONS]. This is also in line with the findings of a Skynova survey that concluded that working from home has made employees feel more productive, reduced feelings of burnout, and improved their mental health.

With such clear benefits – from both a productivity and wellbeing perspective- it is completely understandable that so many people are keen to continue working remotely, either full-time, or on a hybrid basis. You would expect then that bosses would take advantage of the hybrid working model on a permanent basis and make it a key selling point to prospective candidates.

Bosses are taking a carrot and stick approach to remote working

Unfortunately, while many employers are saying they offer remote working in a bid to attract and retain top talent, many are merely being economical with the truth. This is corroborated by a recent report in the Wall Street Journal which reported a growing bait-and-switch trend – companies advertising a job as being ‘fully remote’, when in reality it is either partially remote or not remote at all.

Don't miss out on any breaking news or insightful opinions!
Subscribe to our free newsletter and stay updated on the go!


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Global Banking & Finance Review. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email.

This is where the issue of morality comes in. It is, in my mind, simply amoral to dupe jobseekers into interviewing for – or, in some cases I’ve heard of recently, accepting – a position on the false pretence that they will be able to work remotely, especially given how widespread such roles have become. It is also a sure-fire way to lose trust. If someone is looking for a remote job, they should be able to do so without dealing with unscrupulous and dishonest employers dangling a carrot that will inevitably be snatched away once the contracts are put together.

It may come as a harsh reality-check for some businesses, but the fact of the matter is that working from home has become the norm for many workers, and organisations that do not give employees the opportunity to work flexibly are likely to find themselves right at the back of the queue. Of course, bosses certainly have the right to stick their heads in the sand if they want to, but it’s not a very sensible move. As remote working becomes increasingly popular and normalised, people will refuse to settle for less.

Employee preferences need to be catered for

Workplaces that are unwilling to adapt to hybrid working trends run the risk of being branded outdated. As we’ve seen in many cases – does the name Tesla ring a bell? – companies that refuse to change coursewill lose top talent to their competitors in the best case and, at worst , become obsolete. The best thing that bosses can do is take a ‘best-of-both-worlds’ approach to remote working. If staff members feel that they are able to do their jobs, they should be able to do this. Conversely, if they want to be in the office, the opportunity should be there as well. It is not sustainable or sensible to lie to candidates about their working arrangements, as employers who insist on doing so will surely find.

The rise of flexible working has undoubtedly been positive for the UK, and has enabled many businesses to stay afloat during unprecedently turbulent times – allwhile affording employees a far better work/life balance than they could ever have envisaged. Firms should therefore seek to move with the times by offering the choice to work remotely, thereby promoting trust, transparency, productivity, and wellbeing across their entire organisation.

And, I think it goes without saying: if they’re not willing to do that, they should stop pretending that they are.

Recent Post: