Will employees be allowed to continue working from home after the pandemic?

A lot of workers have found themselves working remotely in the last year. And, many prefer it. According to Forbes, 93% of employees would like the option to continue working from home at least some of the time for the foreseeable future. 

A report from the Conference Board says that’s the chances of people being able to continue working from home after the pandemic is good, although a consensus still hasn’t been reached in the corporate world about whether the trend will be permanent. 

Since 2005, the popularity of remote working has grown 159%. This has surged during the health crisis, and according to a Gartner survey of company leaders, 80% say they plan to let people work remotely part-time, and 47% will allow it full time.

The Conference Board has described remote working as “COVID-19’s biggest legacy”, with it becoming widespread overnight. Now, companies are balancing the benefits of reopening their workplaces with people’s desires to spend less time in the office. 

How will it affect productivity?

Lower productivity is one of the key concerns raised by companies about allowing employees to work from home permanently. In a survey, 64% said they were worried about this aspect.

The question is whether the productivity of employees would be sustainable in the long-term. However, many experts believe that this shift has the power to transform the world economy. If the trend continues, it could lead to mass relocation and a higher quality of life for workers.

The Conference Board analysis found that around a third of HR executives expected at least 40% of employees to continue working remotely after the pandemic is over. 

Despite there being some downsides, working from home has provided benefits to employees like greater flexibility, better physical and mental health, and lower living costs, including a reduction in vehicle and transportation expenses and less spending on business attire.