The pandemic has created a massive paradigm shift in the way cities and regions hunt for jobs.

And a local company headed by Angie’s List co-founder Bill Oesterle is trying to make sure workers and communities across the country maximize the benefits of this seismic change.

Gone are the days when economic development officials merely hunted for companies to bring in scores of jobs. With the number of permanent remote workers more than quadrupling in the last year, a fast-growing number of city, county and state officials are trying to lure individuals who will bring their job—and the resulting economic impact—with them.

In the last six months, dozens of cities and regions across the country have started offering individual workers a variety of incentives, including housing enticements, moving expenses and up to $20,000 in cash, depending on the salary of the job a remote worker brings and the length of time they commit to stay.

The pandemic has created a massive paradigm shift in the way cities and regions hunt for jobs. And a local company headed by Angie’s List co-founder Bill Oesterle is trying to make sure workers and communities across the country maximize the benefits of this seismic change.

Local Firm Helps Forge New Economic Playbook

Among the many lasting effects of COVID-19 — one that has received little attention — is its potential to disrupt economic development. The pandemic introduced the world to remote work almost overnight. When those workers proved they could be productive, they triggered a secondary trend: realization by city and state governments that those remote workers represent an entirely new paradigm for economic development.

MakeMyMove CEO Bill Oesterle writes about the economic opportunities created by Covid-19 and the remote work culture. As geographically free agents, remote workers are attractive recruits for small communities seeking to increase their tax base and talent pool.

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Local Firm Helps Forge New Economic Playbook

COVID-19 offers remote workers and small communities big economic opportunities