How many of your work colleagues have you met since the pandemic hit in 2020?
A new survey says probably not that many.
GreenBuildingElements.com commissioned a survey of 4,121 people who started new jobs in Massachusetts since 2020 and are working predominantly from home. They found almost two-in-three (65%) of employees working remotely have never met their colleagues.
And that trend could definitely continue in Massachusetts.
What would bring people back to the office?
“Many companies are contemplating the idea of continuing the work-from-home model since the pandemic, or juggling the concept of a hybrid model,” said GreenBuildingElements.com spokesperson Kris Lippi.
“As some businesses face the dilemma of missing out on a strong, cohesive team dynamic with people working remotely instead of in-person, it may be a case of trying to boost the overall office dynamic to encourage team members to return to the office. This could include things like improved internet speed, as well as steps towards decreasing the workplace’s overall carbon footprint such as implementing the use of green technologies like solar panels or LED lighting; using recycled paper; or switching to biodegradable pens, instead of plastic ones.”
The future of work in Massachusetts
In July, 2021, Gov. Charlie Baker in unveiled the “Future of Work” report, which stated the “changing ways of working – such as hybrid and remote work – may shift the ‘center of gravity’ away from the urban core.”
Baker’s report presented eight “core insights,” including “demand for office real estate may fall as workers spend more time in residential areas due to hybrid work; hybrid work will likely drive demand for flexible childcare options, requiring childcare business models to evolve; public transit ridership is likely to fall, with the steepest decline likely in commuter rail; business travel may be structurally reduced from pre-pandemic levels; workforce training may be required at an unprecedented scale and pace; the Commonwealth population is likely to grow, albeit more slowly than pre-pandemic; existing equity challenges will intensify; equitable housing opportunities will be key to retaining and attracting people.”
The picture in other states
The GreenBuildingElements.com survey found that the rate of not knowing each other’s co-workers was highest in Nebraska, where 89% hadn’t met their workmates face-to-face. Happily for those in Kentucky and Montana, only 17% haven’t met their colleagues properly. The survey also found that just 41% of employees said their company regularly organizes online social events which can help co-worker bonding.
The survey also found that when it comes to work environments, a happy team can contribute positively towards improved overall results. This could be why 35% of employees said they think working in an eco-office creates a happier environment with better relationships between colleagues.
And 66% of those surveyed said they’re more likely to keep in touch with colleagues socially outside working hours after working remote.
When it comes to the ways remote colleagues communicate, the survey found the majority (41%) use Zoom, while 35% use Microsoft Teams, 10% use Slack, 8% use WhatsApp and 6% use Skype.
More:Work remote after COVID? Nearly 50% of US workers would take a pay cut for it, survey says.
The survey found that 17% of those who are currently working from home (and who have the option of working from the office), said they’d be more likely to return if they made the workspace an eco-friendlier environment. This could include things like installing solar panels and energy-saving lightbulbs.
American workers want options
Another survey on working remote was conducted at Harvard Business School in March, 2021. It found despite potentially longer hours, most Americans enjoy working remotely and wanted the option to keep doing so after the pandemic. Most of the 1,500 people surveyed say they excelled and even grew in their professions while working from home.
“I think it’s a combination of factors, like a Jekyll and Hyde, so to speak,” said Patrick Mullane, the school’s executive director. “We love working remotely in some ways; it gives us more time to focus, spend time with our families, and no long commutes back and forth to work…We found out that we can do a lot without having to be face-to-face as COVID really forced that issue.”
The survey also showed that while most employees miss their colleagues and other aspects of office life, they don’t want to go back to “business as usual” because they want more flexibility doing their jobs, Mullane said.
About 81% surveyed say they either don’t want to go back to the office or would prefer a hybrid schedule from now on. Mullane said 27% of employees hope to work remotely full-time, and another 61% would like to work two or three days a week from home.
This mindset is going to be tricky for employers, Mullane said. “It’s hard to know how it plays out…while everyone is jazzed about remote work, there will be some challenges to work through.”
USA Today reporter Terry Collins contributed to this report.
from Remote Workers – My Blog https://ift.tt/MJmjBrV
via IFTTT
No comments:
Post a Comment