A new study on flexible working patterns post-COVID has found offices will continue to play a leading role in the way companies do businesses – despite workers spending a fraction of their time there.
The Covid-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns worldwide have challenged conventional ideas on how we work and what a workplace should look like and with news the traditional 9-5 workday will end and be replaced by hybrid working, research conducted by JLL and released by Tétris Design & Build has revealed offices will still play a leading role in the way we do business.
The study, called the Worker Preferences Barometer, surveyed 3,300 office workers across ten countries and showed that 79% of the workforce aspire to be back in the office at least once a week, up from 74% last October, highlighting the declining appetite to work solely from home as homeworking fatigue sets in.
37% feel more productive at home, down from 48% last April. However, 63% of workers do not want to be office-bound, showing preference for a hybrid style of working from both home and the office or third-party locations such as coworking lounges and coffee shops.
While the disruption in workflow due to Covid-19 has had a negative impact on business over past year, it has also paved the way for innovative working solutions and new ways of achieving a good work-life balance – a top priority for Millennials and Gen Z.
Key insights from the research:
- Work-life balance is the number one workforce priority, ahead of salary. Over 80% of the workforce want to be able to choose their working hours in the future
- Homeworking fatigue is growing. Over 60% of the workforce want to keep the possibility of alternating between different places of work in the future with two days a week outside the office being the new optimum
- A homeworking learning curve has developed. Expectations regarding homeworking frequency in the future are directly linked to the intensity of the habit today as 58% of employees working one to two days a week from home currently want to do so in the future
- Productivity at home is declining, but it’s not translating into stronger satisfaction with the office. Just 47% say they are satisfied with their office today
- Quality of life is not fulfilling without a rich social life; it is not only about time management. 61% of the workforce are craving ‘real’ human interactions with colleagues
- Long-lasting homeworking is hiding a heavy social and mental toll. More than ever before, companies are being held responsible for the physical, mental and social health of their employees. 48% of the workforce feel overwhelmed by a huge mental load
- Sociodemographic and household profiles are having a strong impact of the work from home experience. 57% of Gen Z workers feel under pressure; half of them are worried about their job
- An outstanding office is the best way to have your people back. 69% of people highly satisfied with their office environment strongly miss their office. The number is only 5% among those who are not fully satisfied with their usual work environment
Emma Luyt, co-CEO of JLL sub-Sahara Africa and MD of Tétris Design & Build, said business leaders need to get back into the office to protect and grow their business culture and nurture younger teams who require office infrastructure and connection to perform, but a rethink of corporate workspaces is necessary if business owners want to get employees back and working productively.
