New research by the Grossman Group: Nearly half of the staff who now work at home need to keep away
One of the main impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will be on the future of jobs around the world. A new study by our team at The Grossman Group confirms this. 48 percent of employees who work from home say they want to keep this agreement.
If even a part of these employees fulfilled their wish, it would still mean a large shift in the remote workforce. Prior to COVID-19, according to a prominent study by the U.S. workforce – the Federal Bureau of National Compensation Survey (NCS) 2019 – only 7 percent of U.S. private sector employees had access to “flexible job performance” or teleworking labor statistics. Many of these teleworkers were managers or other employees.
Employers are starting to rethink the future of work
We initiated our study based on our interactions with customers in the early days of the pandemic. Many managers were pleasantly surprised at how quickly employees got used to remote work, which raised questions about employee preferences, and whether options for working from home should be expanded once the pandemic subsided.
The Grossman Group conducted an online survey of 841 current U.S. employees in various sectors from April 27 to May 1, 2020.
Many employees appreciated employers' response to the pandemic
Overall, workers who worked from home had good grades for their employers' response to the pandemic. This could have helped to strengthen their confidence in a distant work situation in the long term.
Key results from employees working from home:
- 78% agreed that their management would live up to the values of their organization during this time
- 90% stated that their confidence in their organization has increased or has remained the same
- 88% indicated that their satisfaction with their organization as an employer has increased or remained the same
- 80% agreed that their line manager provide the information they need to work in the pandemic
Among all participants, regardless of whether they are currently working remotely or locally for their employer:
- After the pandemic, more women than men want to work from home:
- 43% of women want to work from home
- 34% of men want to work from home
- There is hardly a generation difference in where people want to work after the pandemic:
- 39% of Gen Z want to work from home
- 38% of millennials and Gen X want to work from home
- 37% of baby boomers want to work from home
Employees long for flexibility
Employees' work preferences are still different and working from home is not for everyone – either because employees simply cannot do their work remotely or prefer not to. Nevertheless, the survey results are a clear signal to employers that preferences are evolving rapidly. If we want employees to stay engaged and productive, we need to meet them where they are.
I am also confident that flexibility is a win-win situation for companies and their employees. In my day-to-day interactions with large multinationals and small businesses, I've found that people who are heard, supported, and truly valued are more committed, loyal, and willing to work harder to achieve a company's goals. The relationship between employees and employers is crucial for the success of a company.
I am aware that some employers may find it difficult to accept the growing interest in remote work, as many believe that more time on the ground is the best way to be more productive. During the pandemic, even employers who traditionally expected employees to be in the office most of the time learned how capable and resourceful employees can be no matter where they are.
In addition, many studies have shown that employees who work from home are at least as productive or more productive than employees in the office. A frequently cited 2015 study by Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom reported many benefits of working from home, including higher productivity and lower wear and tear. However, this prominent study also provided warning results. Bloom found that many employees at the company he was studying later changed their minds to want to work 100 percent of the time from home because they felt too isolated. As a result, Bloom recommended working from home a few days a week, rather than constantly.
The message to me is clear: a unified approach is not the wave of the future. Thinking more creatively and being open to new work agreements increases the value of the employee experience, promotes engagement and brings results.
Learn about how COVID-19 works: US employees working on remote work
Click here to download the results.
What do you think is the best approach to distance work arrangements? In your experience, are there any advantages or disadvantages to expanding work-from-home options?
– –David Grossman
Click below to download the summary report.Working during COVID-19: US employees working for remote work– and access data to understand how US workers think about working in a post-pandemic world.
