Do Employees Really Want to Work From Home?

Before the COVID-19 pandemic employees viewed distanced work and Work From Home (WFH) opportunities as a luxury. Whether negotiated as part of their benefits/perks or given to demonstrate a trusting relationship between management and employees - the working format was both desirable and difficult for many companies to implement.

And then COVID-19 happened.

Companies adapted to changing times in ways they never imagined they would. Shifts in policies, infrastructure and in some cases, workload happened. Ultimately, many employees achieved their goal of working from home full-time.

Employees began adjusting to a life where their work fit around their home schedules rather than the opposite. While other factors of life declined, the new remote work environment thrived.

Reopening

As the world began to reopen, some companies found themselves no longer needing the traditional office space. After all, they realized they now had the infrastructure and policies to make remote work viable long term. If they could save the money on office space and reallocate their funds to other aspects of the business, then it was a win-win.

All of this was under the assumption that employees still wanted to work from home.

There are contradictory articles being published, with some showing that employees are thriving in their remote work environment, while other articles argue that the novelty is wearing off.

What is the solution?

With very mixed feedback from the media, and our general knowledge of our own employees, it occurred to us that the solution between office and work from home could be on a spectrum. With that said we took to social media for a vote for the following options:

1. Like: Work from home 5 days per week

2. Celebrate: Work from home 4 days per week

3. Support: Work from home 3 days per week

4. Love: Work from home 2 days per week

5. Insightful: Work from home 1 day per week

6. Curious: Work in the office 5 days per week

The Result

1. Work from home 5 days per week (50% vote)

2. Work from home 3 days per week (21.5% vote)

3. Work from home 2 days per week (13% vote)

4. Work from home 4 days per week (10% vote)

5. Work from home 1 day per week (3% vote)

6. Work in the office 5 days per week (3% vote)

It seems that the shift to remote work has shown employees the benefits of working in isolation. Whether it be to work around your own schedule, work without distraction, or cut down on the commute, both employees and employers are starting to see the benefits of working from home.

Now clearly depending on your business, work from home may not be realistic on a full-time basis. For those businesses, we recommend looking at possible flex options. Nearly half (47.5%) of voters indicated an interest in working from home, with most indicating a desire for more balance between in-office and remote work. If 5 days per week isn't realistic, perhaps 2-3 days/week is more realistic.

With our current environment many locations are not safe to reopen, but when it is safe employers will want to consider their options and what returning to work should look like on a corporate, and individual level.

If you have questions about remote hiring, contact us today.