A new survey shows that workers have adjusted to different ways of doing things, and they don’t expect to go back to ‘business as usual’ after the COVID-19 crisis has passed.
Your workers who are able to function remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic are getting used to the new arrangement, according to a recent survey. In fact, some like it so much that they want to make working at a home a permanent arrangement. Read on for some insights on how employees are conducting remote work and what they think about this new paradigm.
Among the findings from the survey of 2,000 respondents conducted during the first two weeks of April:
- 28% of employees say after the current crisis passes, they plan to look for work that enables them to telecommute.
- A third of respondents say they are eager to get back to their office and think their co-workers feel the same way.
- Nearly half (45%) of respondents say their employers were “fairly ready” for the telework transition, and 38% report that their organization had an easy time implementing the change. Only 18% say their employer wasn’t ready.
- Most workers are currently sharing their home/work space with others—64% are with a partner or spouse, 56% with a young child, 41% with a teenager, and 28% with an infant. Only 5% say they are on their own.
- While most employees are working in their own homes, 14% say they are at a vacation home, 13% are at their parents’ or in-laws’ house, 10% are at another relative’s house, and 10% are at a rented property in an urban area.
- 33% of employees identify slow broadband/Wi-Fi as the greatest challenge to working remotely. This was followed by strict security protocols, difficulty making conference calls, inability to access necessary apps, and lack of device availability.
- Respondents admit that interruptions present challenges. Nearly a third (32%) say they’ve had to take work calls in their bedroom for privacy, 29% have used the bathroom, and 24% have gone to the garage. Nearly a third (29%) say their children and/or pets have made an appearance on work-related video calls.
- Remote work presents some personal challenges. Thirty-seven percent (37%) say they’re drinking too much caffeine, and 32% say they snack too much.
Many employees expect some work-related changes after the current pandemic is over. Over a third (37%) think their organization will be more relaxed about remote work moving forward. At the same time, 36% believe that staff will be allowed to work from home more regularly.
Employers may want to put some effort into promoting the availability of mental health care and wellness benefits to remote workers. According to this survey, 36% report feeling overwhelmed by the current situation. At the same time, while 32% say that they’re enjoying the “peace and quiet,” 30% suggest they are unable to focus on their work; and 28% say they’re experiencing loneliness.