Is it time for us to expand the standard understanding of “diversity” to include geography? In “We Need A Massive Remote-Worker Hiring Spree In The American Heartland,” Upwork CEO Stephane Kasriel wonders whether the divide between rural and urban America is a call to action for U.S. companies.
“Many business leaders I’ve spoken to have been thinking harder lately about how to reverse political, cultural, and socioeconomic polarization,” Kasriel said. Many of those discussions have centered around location: Should urban professionals relocate, or is it the corporations themselves that should consider moving?
Kasriel thinks this misses a key point:
“If businesses really want to create jobs in struggling parts of America…and bridge political divisions in the process, the solution is simpler: Hire more people outside of the big coastal cities. Just don’t ask them to move.”
While some companies are still fighting the tide, studies show workers don’t just expect flexible and remote work—many put a high value on it. Even small shifts can have a positive impact on both the company itself and the many communities workers call home.
“Thanks to the well-known ‘multiplier effect,’ for every job you fill…you can actually create up to 4.3 jobs altogether,” Kasriel explained. “The person you hire will spend the money she earns locally, creating work for lawyers, schoolteachers, dentists, retail staff, and restaurant workers.”
He adds that geographic diversity means companies need to embrace remote work:
“You’ll find there’s a lot of talent out there, including in places you haven’t thought to look.”
This distributed opportunity, he suggests, may not just improve employment and income in parts of the country that have struggled for decades. It could help foster better understanding.
Want to learn more? Read the full article on Fast Company…
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