60% Of People Want A Remote Working Future

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COVID-19 meant that thousands of businesses across the globe had to close their doors and learn how to work from home.

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It wasn’t long before digital players started announcing their move to remote working, with Shopify’s CEO Tobi Luke stating that “Shopify is a digital by default company” and Twitter’s statement which claims employees will never have to go back to the office if they don’t want to.

They aren’t the only ones. With new data showing that employees prefer working at home, it’s a matter of time before others follow suit.

New data proves the demand for remote working

A recent study by Adzooma has provided new insights into the experiences of those working from home. Surveying 447 workers from a range of industries, this study looked at whether employees want to go back to working within a traditional office, or push for a more remote future.

This is what they found:

home working

83.5% of people enjoy working at home

For the majority of people, working at home is an enjoyable experience. Although some people account this to being able to wear exactly what they want, 39.9% of respondents said the best thing was the flexibility it offered them.

Working at home means the option to talk to others and collaborate via communication apps or videos, but then also to disconnect and concentrate when it’s needed. There’s no being interrupted by tea rounds or idle chat from co-workers.

Home offices are a space that employees can fully control, allowing them to create the best and most productive work environments to fit their needs.

60% of people want to work at home

When given the choice between working at home or in the office, 60% of people choose working at home.

What’s more, 52.6% of respondents said they never want to return back to a normal office after COVID-19.

There’s a strong demand for remote working to replace the office as we know it. But, despite how much people enjoy working at home, there are still some benefits to the office environment we’re used to.

There are some interactions that video just can’t do justice. For example, those who work with potentially delicate situations like HR or rely on body language, such as therapy, will need these face-to-face interactions.

The office still has its place within businesses. But is that enough to save it after COVID-19?

The flexible future of office working

Working at home or in an office aren’t the only two options on the table. These are not either-or scenarios. In reality, the future of offices is most likely going to be a combination of both.

The majority of employees want remote working. But, it’s not for everyone and there are a few instances where talking to someone face-to-face is the best option. As offices will have no choice but to implement social distancing measures as they open up, the most likely outcome after COVID-19 is a flexible working lifestyle.

For example, employees can work at home for the majority of the week, coming into the office for 2 days to meet others, socialise and brainstorm new ideas. This will allow businesses to downsize their space, switch to hot-desking and keep meeting spaces for collaborations.

Remote working will also benefit growing businesses as they don’t need to think about moving offices every time they recruit new employees.

With 60% of people wanting to work at home, it won’t be long before the majority of digital businesses will offer remote first.