Several studies have found that workers value the ability to work remotely, but LaSalle found that graduates were more interested in culture, location and benefits. After a year or remote learning, remote work might not be very appealing, according to the report. Specific benefits that matter to graduates include:

Medical coverage, particularly mental health, as 40% of respondents said mental and emotional health was a top concern for entering the workforce.
401(k) match, which LaSalle acknowledges might be a financial strain that some companies can't take on. The firm urges those companies to make it a priority when they can, and to consider other ways to address new hires' financial wellness concerns.
Flexible hours, which might include remote work, but might also include flexible schedules. In fact, only 8% of respondents said remote work was very important to them, although respondents reported an average 20 hours as their ideal remote/onsite balance. "This means the majority of 2021 graduates are not exclusively targeting remote opportunities, but if given the option, they would work from home half of the week," according to the report.
Just 10% of respondents said student loan assistance was extremely important to them, but LaSalle suggests this may be a temporary reaction to student loan forbearance that was granted last year. Graduates of the last two years were twice as likely to rate loan assistance as very important.

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Instant Insights /

What the 2021 class of candidates want from employers

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