Remote and flexible work has become increasingly popular among Kiwi employees, with many reporting an improved sense of well-being, according to a new report.
HR software platform Employment Hero’s 2022 Remote Work Report, which surveyed 1000 workers across the country, found that 48% of hybrid and remote workers would consider leaving their jobs if they were forced to return to the office full-time.
When asked the main reason their employer continues to encourage remote working, 57% reported an improvement in employee well-being or happiness, while 35% cited the continued risk of Covid-19 infection.
A further 81% of workers said they would consider a remote work position when job-hunting.
Meanwhile, 82% of respondents said working remotely at least some of the time has helped reduce the pressures of the increasing cost of living.
Remote work has also had a positive impact on workers from marginalised groups, with 44% of the respondents reporting that their workplace culture improved while they worked remotely.
In addition, 56% of workers from marginalised groups said remote work protects them from workplace discrimination.
However, there's still room for improvement in Kiwi workplaces, with 57% of workers from marginalised groups saying they had experienced discrimination at work.
“The writing is on the wall for employers who have a choice when it comes to providing remote working arrangements,” Employment Hero chief people officer Alex Hattingh said.
“There is evidence that remote work provides benefits that an office attendance mandate simply can’t match.
“It is important to care about employees' financial health and overall well-being in the current economic climate, and one of the ways to do this is by giving trust and freedom.”
Hattingh added, however, that working in the office still had its merits.
According to the report, workers aged 18 to 24 were 61% more likely to return to the office due to feelings of isolation while working from home. That figure increased for older workers, with those aged 55 and up being 102% more likely to return to the office.
"With the future of work undeniably hybrid and remote, employers need to look at how they can better support their teams to work to their full potential in each of these spaces."
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