Work & Education

According to our research, employees are mostly satisfied with how their company transitioned to remote work.

However, the transition to a completely remote workforce is still relatively uncommon. While 54 percent of employees can work remotely to some extent, less than a third believe they can do their entire job outside of the office. The divide is greater across regions. Nearly half of workers in North America say they can do their entire job from home, but only 30 percent of European workers and less than 25 percent of workers in the Middle East and APAC feel the same.

Work throughout the pandemic presented different realities for those adjusting to life at home and for others adjusting to a “new normal.” Despite differences, both remote and non-remote workers say that the availability of a global vaccine is one of the most important factors that will make them feel comfortable working on-site in the future.

Health and safety is a top concern for those who cannot work from home. For close to half of non-remote employees, something as simple as hand sanitizers at the workplace would make them feel more comfortable going to work every day.

Those who are working from home face a different debate: the efficacy of returning to the office and the potential risks that come with it. Globally, 60 percent of remote workers say risk of COVID-19 exposure at work or commuting to work is a main concern when returning to the office. Older employees (ages 54-65+) are more likely to fear being exposed to COVID-19 at their place of work when compared to younger generations.

Outside of COVID-19 exposure, 67 percent of remote workers are concerned over time lost from commuting and getting ready for work. Over a third worry about spending more money on out-of-office expenses – like lunch or coffee – when returning to the office.

It’s these unforeseen benefits – the ability to get time back or save a few dollars – that are beginning to change how remote employees view the office. What began as a necessity to adhere to pandemic conditions is now beginning to take shape as a tangible reality as people begin to adapt, readjust and reprioritize how they spend their time and what it takes to be productive.

To work from home, people need a place where they can feel focused and comfortable. Building that ideal workspace, however, is a bit of a challenge. Only 20 percent of at-home workers have a room specifically designated as an at-home office. Instead, a majority have found ways to repurpose space, whether it’s setting up a desk in a bedroom or living room, working from a couch, a kitchen table or something in-between.

For those who have a space that they can call their own, working from home seems like a viable option. When at-home situations are uncomfortable, inconsistent or just downright distracting, the office seems like a much better place to be.

Outside of living situations, employees also face the unexpected. According to network intelligence company ThousandEyes, disruptions in global internet service increased 63 percent in March 2020 as the world began entering various stages of quarantine and rapidly shifting to remote ways of working, studying and living.

Workers need the right tools to get their work done. According to a study from Lenovo Group, 70 percent of global workers bought new technology to help work remotely, with 40 percent partially or fully funding the purchase.

Moving forward, workers are looking to employers to help overcome technological barriers when setting up their at-home work environment, with around 40 percent (respectively) looking for assistance in subsidizing increased Wi-Fi costs, equipment and office supplies.

Like remote work, students are beginning to blend digital tools into their learning environments. Students in the U.S. (62 percent) and UAE (68 percent) report the highest levels of remote-only learning programs. In Japan (72 percent), France (65 percent), Germany (64 percent) Singapore (60 percent) and Australia (56 percent), a majority of children are back in school full-time, with hybrid learning programs in place to support in-school efforts. Students in Italy, Canada and the UK remain divided between fully remote, hybrid and full in-person learning programs.

Though 71 percent of people prefer some type of remote learning program, 74 percent say online classes provide either the same or worse learning experiences. People still want in-person activity to feel productive, with a majority saying it’s harder to ask questions, work collaboratively and participate in hands-on learning while at home.

Parents are also feeling the pressure of remote education, with at-home situations influencing how they structure time at work. Of parents surveyed, 53 percent either reduced or adjusted their hours to help support online learning. This number was higher in the UAE (70 percent), Singapore (64 percent) and Germany (56 percent) when compared to other regions. Five percent of parents globally left their jobs completely to help their children with remote learning.

Parents with children who are back in the classroom are also more likely to prefer spending more time in the office in the future, perhaps signaling a need for normalcy in the household to feel comfortable returning to more traditional work settings.

Digital tools have allowed employers and educators to continue to operate despite pandemic conditions that otherwise would have prevented growth. As students and workers continue to rely on digital means to learn and remain productive, organizations have the opportunity to create new ways to keep people connected and provide elevated experiences.