Majority of remote workers want to make it permanent: survey

New York — Nearly half of workers whose employers have a flexible remote work policy say it’s their most coveted employee perk, while more than 3 out of 4 would like to work from home permanently, results of a recent survey show.

Researchers, on behalf of workplace solutions organization Kintone, surveyed 2,000 individuals who are working remotely amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Forty-eight percent of respondents said they would rather work for an organization with flexible remote work policies, while 72% indicated they wouldn’t even consider taking a job that lacks such arrangements.

Citing a shift in workplace norms and the expectation of a “more robust work-life balance,” Kintone CEO Dave Landa said in a press release that “people are embracing remote work more than ever before.” More than 70% of respondents said their work-life balance has improved while working remotely, although 36% find it more difficult to fulfill job tasks while working from home.

Other findings:

• 45% of the respondents expressed happiness with scheduling flexibility under remote work operations, and 44% said they appreciate the opportunity to take breaks at any time.
• The leading drawbacks of working from home cited by the respondents were difficulty communicating with colleagues (36%), lacking the right office equipment (35%) and having too many distractions (34%).
• The respondents said multiple employer interventions could help boost work performance, including amending company policies on work hours and expectations (46%), reimbursing internet or other utility expenses (43%), and providing a new computer or laptop (41%).

“Every major transformation like this comes with hurdles and uncertainties,” Landa said in the release. “In the end, the benefits of happier, more satisfied employees will justify the efforts to address these challenges head on.”