While a recent LinkedIn survey had noted that seven out of 10 working women in India would quit or consider quitting their jobs if not offered flexible working, a new study by Godrej Interio has revealed that 51% of employees prefer hybrid work.
Called ‘Home, Office and Beyond’, this study released on Wednesday noted that 32% workforce prefers at least three days of ‘work from home’ while only 19% prefer at least three days of ‘work from office’.
It covered white-collar knowledge workers working at MNCs and Indian corporates.
According to the study, better work-life balance tops the list of benefits offered by a hybrid work schedule, demonstrating yet again the importance of flexibility and wellness to knowledge workers today. According to the study, the key benefits of hybrid work are:
—23% male and 28% female employers said hybrid work leads to a better ‘work-life balance’
—20% male and 28% female said it ‘saves commute time’
—12% male and 11% female mentioned it means more ‘time with family’
—14% male and 11% female said hybrid work leads to ‘improved work performance’
The study also revealed that employees are ‘ready to act’ for flexible work options, with 39% ready to negotiate with employers, 24% willing to switch jobs, 14% in favour of moving locations and 13% agreeing to take a 10% salary cut.
Sameer Joshi, vice-president, Marketing (B2B), Godrej Interio, said, “The future of work is the one that empowers employees and organisations to thrive, regardless of their location … Perceiving employees as individuals with varying needs instead of overarching ‘workers’ while keeping empathy at the centre is key to designing the workplace of the future. A flexible work model has become a vital tool for attracting and retaining talent across industries.”
Earlier this month, a LinkedIn survey primarily covering the female workforce had noted that following the impact of the pandemic, eight in 10 (83%) working women in India said they want to work more flexibly than in the pre-pandemic world, 72% of working women said they are rejecting job roles that don’t allow them to work flexibly, and 70% said that they have already quit or have considered quitting their jobs because they weren’t offered the right flexible policies.
It added that 43% of women said a flexible work environment improves their work-life balance and helps them progress in their careers, 34% of women said it improves their mental health, and 33% of women said it increases their likelihood of staying in their current jobs.
