As we step into a new year, many professionals are reevaluating their work arrangements. Whether you're tired of being forced into the office full-time or actively seeking a remote or hybrid role, the landscape of remote work is shifting. Recent data highlights a surprising trend: employee bargaining power for remote work has declined sharply. According to a MyPerfectResume survey of 1,000 U.S. professionals, the share of workers willing to quit over a non-negotiable return-to-office (RTO) order dropped from 51% in 2025 to just 7% in 2026. Additionally, 74% now expect to have the same or less bargaining power over flexibility this year, with nearly half anticipating companies to tighten on-site attendance requirements and 73% expecting expanded use of monitoring tools.
But don't lose hope! Despite this shift, remote work is far from dead. In fact, FlexJobs analysts report that remote hiring ticked up 3% in Q4 2025, reversing a slight decline from earlier quarters. This growth is driven by key career fields such as project management, computer and IT, sales, client services, and medical and healthcare.
Top 29 Employers Hiring Remotely in 2026
FlexJobs has compiled a list of the top 100 employers that consistently hired the greatest share of fully remote and hybrid remote roles in 2025, offering a glimpse into what to expect this year. These companies span various industries, including healthcare, insurance, fintech, SaaS, media, telecoms, and education. Here are the top 29:
- TELUS (IT)
- Elevance Health (insurance)
- Lockheed Martin (aerospace and defence)
- Transcom (BPO company)
- UnitedHealth Group (insurance and healthcare)
- General Dynamics (aerospace and defence)
- BELAY (BPO company)
- Centene Corporation (healthcare)
- General Electric – GE (tech, energy, and manufacturing conglomerate)
- U.S. Bank (financial)
- Sargent & Lundy (architect engineering)
- NBCUniversal (media)
- Insight Global (recruitment and staffing)
- General Motors (manufacturing)
- Thermo Fisher Scientific (biotech)
- Johnson & Johnson (pharma)
- Cognizant (IT)
- Piper Companies (recruitment and staffing)
- Siemens (automation and tech)
- Stride, Inc. (education)
- PayPal (fintech)
- Boston Scientific (manufacturing)
- Cox Enterprises (media)
- JLL – Jones Lang LaSalle (real estate)
- Visa (financial)
- Medtronic (health tech)
- Zscaler (IT)
- Your Part Time Controller (financial/accounting)
- State of Washington (federal)
How to Find a Remote Job in 2026
With employee leverage waning, the key to securing a remote job lies in strategic action rather than negotiation. Here are effective strategies to boost your chances:
- Explore freelance consulting: Leverage your expertise and experience to work remotely as a consultant.
- Target top employers: Add companies from the list above to your job search strategy. Follow them on LinkedIn, turn on job alerts, and connect with key decision-makers.
- Seek flexible-first companies: Research reviews and employee experiences on platforms like Indeed and Glassdoor to identify companies with remote-friendly policies.
- Network strategically: Engage with past co-workers, industry connections, and professional memberships to uncover hidden opportunities.
Most importantly, enhance your professional image to stand out in the remote job market. Focus on skills that demonstrate business value and competitiveness. For more insights, check out our article on 13 skills to include on your resume for remote jobs.
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