Amid the wave of in-person restrictions during the era of COVID-19, remote work became all the rage. That is, except for the many workers on the frontlines who couldn’t get the job done from a distance.
In the years since, company leaders have taken varied approaches to work-from-home (WFH) vs return-to-office (RTO) models, with some requiring employees to again work under the same roof. While some workforce experts underscore the need for balance and consideration of worker sentiment — which research indicates leans toward remote or hybrid options — some companies seem determined to have employees collaborate face to face.
Although much of the remote-work discussion focuses on those who work in office settings, recent research indicates it could increasingly apply to those on the frontlines, too — including roles in warehousing and logistics.
Workforce 2025 Global Insights Report
Before we dig into the research about increasing remote opportunities for frontline workers, let’s take a look at what recent Korn Ferry research revealed about how the dynamics between employers and employees are shifting — and what’s playing a role.
On April 17, the global consulting firm released its Workforce 2025 Global Insights Report, an annual survey of 15,000 global employees across a range of job roles, age demographics, and industries. Overall, findings indicated that today’s workforce is “adapting to increased mandated office returns, tighter salary increases, and flatter management layers — all in pursuit of organization’s seeking stability and growth.”
In the context of this discussion, we’ll focus on the findings regarding RTO mandates — which the report refers to as “Hybrid Headaches.”
“Despite a national push to return to the office, the majority of U.S. workers say it’s not what they want,” the press release says. “Although more than 3 in 5 (64%) of employees are now required to work on-site full-time, most would prefer a remote or hybrid setup. The research reveals that 69% of workers want to work remotely at least part of the time—driven by a desire for greater flexibility (61%) and improved mental health (60%). Yet fewer than one in three employees (32%) currently have access to hybrid work options, underscoring a growing disconnect between employer policies and employee needs.”
“Common assumptions about work are being rewritten in real time amid perpetual uncertainty and pressure points that are permeating the global workforce. And at the forefront is the shifting dynamics between an organization’s need for growth and stability and employees’ desire for fulfillment and balance in their lives,” said Lesley Uren, CEO of Korn Ferry Consulting.
The full Workforce 2025 Global Insights Report can be found here.
Frontline Remote Work Trends 2025
Although not a dynamic included in the Korn Ferry report, additional recent research counters a common assumption about work: that frontline workers can’t get the job done from afar.
According to the Frontline Remote Work Trends 2025 report released May 8 by Resume Now and Talroo, “remote-eligible roles in essential sectors like healthcare, logistics, retail, and sales have grown by 9% over the past year.”
The press release announcing the report says a “surge in digital tools and automation” is driving the shift, creating the ability for more frontline employees to “work from home, without sacrificing efficiency.”
Resume Now, a “resume and cover letter platform,” and Talroo, a “job advertising provider specializing in high-volume and frontline hiring,” combined their efforts to better understand “which industries are embracing this change the fastest.”
Key findings include:
- Healthcare leads the remote revolution: “Remote-eligible jobs in allied healthcare surged by 70% year over year, driven by telehealth, digital patient services, and electronic health records. Over 200,000 new remote jobs were added for frontline workers in this sector alone.”
- Retail remote roles jump 75% since 2022: “Retail saw a 12% year-over-year increase in remote roles and a stunning 75% increase since 2022, fueled by e-commerce, AI customer service tools, and remote inventory systems.”
- Logistics embraces digital coordination: “Warehousing and logistics jobs offering remote options grew 25% in just one quarter (Q4 2024 to Q1 2025), thanks to supply chain automation, remote freight coordination, and AI-driven demand forecasting.”
- Sales jobs shift online with digital tools: “Sales roles offering remote flexibility increased 15% year over year as teams embraced email automation, virtual prospecting, and remote-friendly closing tools.”
- Full-time flexibility gains ground — slowly: “While remote work remains rare in most frontline jobs, full-time remote roles are growing. Q1 2025 saw remote postings rise to 4.4%, up from 4.1% a year ago. More than 84% of all postings are for full-time positions.”
“As digital tools become more integrated into frontline work, they are also expanding remote opportunities in industries that once relied solely on in-person roles,” said Thad Price, CEO of Talroo. “Companies that invest in digital upskilling will not only boost productivity and employee satisfaction but also open new doors for remote and hybrid work in frontline sectors.”
Keith Spencer, career expert at Resume Now, expressed similar sentiments.
“As digital tools continue to redefine essential industries, workers with strong digital literacy skills are better positioned to seize remote opportunities,” Spencer explained. “Investing in digital upskilling will not only help businesses fill critical roles but also empower employees to thrive in the evolving job market.”
Remote work in warehousing and logistics
The report points out that working remotely in warehousing and logistics “may sound unlikely,” but says this dynamic is gaining “serious ground,” fueled by automation and cloud-based tools that are “reshaping the industry.”
The top growing remote roles in this industry are:
- Freight Brokers
- Customs Operations
- Sales Executive
And the digital advancements cited as playing a key role include:
- Supply chain management software: “Freight brokers and logistics coordinators use cloud-based systems to manage shipments remotely.”
- AI-powered demand forecasting: “Predictive analytics tools allow remote workers to optimize inventory and shipping routes.”
- Automated communication platforms: “Digital tools enable remote teams to coordinate operations across locations.”
“You don’t need to work on-site to thrive in logistics,” the report explains. “If you’ve got experience in supply chains, shipping, or coordination — or you’re willing to learn — this sector now offers remote options powered by cutting-edge tech. Workers who understand logistics systems and cloud-based tools can tap into a fast-growing niche of remote roles in a traditionally hands-on industry.”
