Thailand
South-east Asian employees prefer not to return to pre-Covid-19 work arrangements: poll
WITH the pandemic granting greater work flexibility, only 15 per cent of South-east Asian respondents would prefer to work from the office full-time, according to a recent EY Work Reimagined Employee Survey.
Most preferred to work anywhere (32 per cent), while working remotely full-time and having hybrid work arrangements followed closely behind at 29 per cent and 23 per cent respectively.
Additionally, more than half of South-east Asian respondents (60 per cent) said they would quit their jobs if not provided some work flexibility post-Covid-19.
If they had to choose between having flexibility in when they work versus where they work, responses were split quite evenly, with 49 per cent choosing the former and 48 per cent choosing the latter.
While seven in 10 respondents from South-east Asia believe their productivity and creativity is increased due to hybrid work arrangements, 86 per cent think this arrangement would affect their access to career opportunities.
Nonetheless, one in two employees said their organisation’s culture has improved during the pandemic.
Tan Lay Keng, EY Asean People Advisory Services leader, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a major shift in where we work, when we work and how we work. Employers that promote hybrid work arrangements and provide the flexibility for employees to work anywhere and anytime, are ahead of the curve.”
For example, changes such as establishing clear working hours for greater work-life balance, setting aside time for individual or focused work, or using productivity tools can help companies offer better hybrid working arrangements for their employees.
However, greater work flexibility has also led to a greater demand for technological improvements, be it at home or in offices. For example, 73 per cent want better technology in the office, with demands ranging from Internet speed to videoconferencing.
Additionally, about half of the respondents want companies to upgrade their hardware used at home – such as by providing extra monitors and headsets – and reimbursements for high-speed Internet or phone expenses.
The survey, conducted in March this year, gathered responses from more than 16,000 individuals across 16 countries and 23 industries. This includes more than 1,000 South-east Asian respondents from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Source: https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/asean-business/south-east-asian-employees-prefer-not-to-return-to-pre-covid-19-work-arrangements