One in four Scottish employees at financial services (FS) firms prefer a fully remote working environment, according to a research conducted by Accenture.
A survey of around 200 Scotland-based financial services workers was conducted which revealed a lot about employees’ work style preferences Post the pandemic.
Research Revelations: Remote Work for Scotland’s Financial Services
- 21% of workers would prefer to work fully remotely once a full return to office is announced.
- 70% said that they would prefer to work twice a week or lesser in the physical office.
- Only 5% expressed interest in returning to 5 days a week in the office.
- 69% revealed that a flexible work style would be the best option.
- A whopping 88% of the workers feel that they have their employer’s support in balancing their personal and professional commitments. 24% said that this support has increased after March 2020.
- 60% said that their employers take better care of employee mental health now.
- 39% are ready to forgo compensation if they’re permitted to work fully remotely.
- 56% found themselves more productive while working at home.
- 69% that skipping the daily commute gave them more free time.
- 29% felt that additional pressure that came with the pandemic was ignored by their employer, while 30% felt neglected by their company.
“As Scotland’s financial services companies develop their future working from home policies, this research suggests that a majority of employees at all levels don’t want simply to go back to pre-pandemic routines. This presents both challenges and opportunities for firms in Scotland thinking not just about where employees are doing their work but how they are working too. While working from home has opened up new possibilities for talented people to locate north of the Border, how they are enabled to be productive is crucial. The sector has a big opportunity to reinvent physical workspaces, complemented by digital environments, to drive collaboration with colleagues throughout the UK and shape positive workplace cultures post-pandemic. However, companies must work hard to ensure that the technology investments they are making to support home working is matched by cultures of change that support employees to feel supported and included. We’re only at the beginning of the process needed to make these new ways of working a long-term solution for thriving teams. However putting in place the right building blocks now will boost diversity in Scotland’s financial services sector, attract new talent to careers here and drive forward our capacity to compete both UK-wide and globally.”Stuart Chalmers, Head of Financial Services for Accenture Scotland
While the financial services sector struggles with some setbacks, there’s a chance to redeem a better industry-worker relationship. With so many employees in favour of remote work, a win-win situation is possible.
Employees need to address and acknowledge their employees’ concerns and move forward with something that works the best in the long term.
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