How have office workers been holding up during the coronavirus crisis? And how do they feel office life will change once workplaces reopen? Global staffing firm Robert Half surveyed more than 1,000 professionals about their current work situation and the future.
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View an infographic of the research highlights.
“Our lives have changed as a result of COVID-19, including how we work,” said Paul McDonald, senior executive director of Robert Half. “When companies open their doors again, ‘business as usual’ will be different. Employers and their teams have been resourceful in operating from dispersed locations, and there are going to be important lessons learned that will guide future collaboration.”
Silver Linings
Of employees surveyed, 77% said they are currently working from home. These workers were asked, “Which of the following positive sentiments have you felt with respect to your job in the past several weeks?” The top responses included:*
|
I realize my job is doable from home. |
63% |
|
My work-life balance has improved due to lack of a commute. |
60% |
|
I’m more comfortable using technology. |
43% |
|
I’ve grown closer to colleagues. |
20% |
|
I’ve grown closer to my boss. |
19% |
|
*Multiple responses were permitted. |
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Parents doing their job from home were more likely than peers without children to report having better work-life balance, becoming more tech savvy and deepening relationships with their colleagues, survey results show. In addition, 78% of all employees surveyed think they will be more prepared to support or cover for coworkers who need to be physically absent when staff begin returning to the office.
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Concerns About Returning to the Office
According to the research, professionals feel some apprehension about going back to their typical workspace:
- 56% of professionals worry about being in close proximity to colleagues.
- 74% would like to work remotely more frequently than before the outbreak. More parents (79%) than those without children (68%) expressed this preference.
- At the same time, 55% believe it will be more difficult to build strong relationships with colleagues if teams aren’t in the same building as much.
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