Employees have realised that work will never be the same, so instead of waiting for things to return to normal, they are shaping a new, more flexible future that empowers them to work when, where and how they work best.
By Helen Kruger, CEO of Troye
According to recent Citrix poll, nearly 90% of more than 13 000 respondents said they plan to work on flexible models in the year ahead, with the majority indicating they’ll remain fully remote.
While many employers continue to push for a return to the days of old where all employees are in the office all the time, new research reveals this is unlikely to happen.
When asked how they plan to work in 2022, 45% of employees said they prefer remote full time, 44% prefer hybrid and 8% prefer being in the office full time. Their decisions are based on what they have learned through the grand remote-work experiment as to what works best for them when it comes to getting things done.
Some of the respondents find working from home hugely productive but also enjoy interacting in real time with colleagues. They say WFH has saved the company a ton of office costs, a ton on automotive expenses, reduced global warming, increased project success, and increased family time.
The study makes it clear, flexible work is not a temporary thing. Smart employers will take heed and adapt their work models to meet changing employee needs and position themselves to succeed in the new world of work.