According to a poll of almost 700 business leaders conducted by the Institute of Directors in January 2022, about 8 out of 10 companies expect to use remote working in the long run.
According to the study, more than a quarter (27%) of directors expect their organisations to be entirely flexible, with the use of remote working left to the discretion of individual employees, and another 39% plan to migrate to one to four days of remote working per week. A further 13% said their company is shifting totally to remote working, while only 16% said they have no plans to implement any sort of remote working.
Business owners were split on whether working from home was more or less productive, according to the IoD. Remote working was deemed more productive by 43% of respondents, while it was deemed less productive by 31%.
Women, on the other hand, have found remote working to be more productive than men. For women, the net positive (percentage finding remote working more productive minus percentage finding remote working less productive) is +42, compared to only +7 for men.
“It is clear that businesses are embracing remote and hybrid working beyond the pandemic. Remote working can be a powerful tool in improving employees’ work/life balance and job satisfaction, which contributes to a more engaged and productive workforce. It can also give employers access to a wider and more diverse talent pool, something particularly valuable in today’s competitive labour market. However, remote working is not suitable for all organisations. Different businesses have different needs, and companies will work closely with their employees to find the best solutions.”Alexandra Hall-Chen, Senior Policy Advisor, Institute of Directors
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