Now that a ‘new normal’ has been established, it’s interesting to find out what the outlook of workers is in terms of returning to work, and work, in general.
The majority of Filipinos and other Southeast Asians want to continue working from home – even after the pandemic – and are willing to leave their positions to look for work in their preferred environment.
Post-Pandemic Flexibility at Work Prioritized by Workers in Southeast Asia, Filipinos – Survey
According to an Ernst & Young (EY) analysis based on their 2021 Work Reimagined Employee Survey, the majority of employees in Southeast Asia prefer to work in hybrid arrangements rather than at their offices.
Only 15% of employees selected to work from the office full-time, while the rest chose to work from anyplace (32%), work remotely full-time (29%), or in a hybrid work arrangement (a mix of in-office and remote working) (23 percent).
Lisa Escaler, workforce advisory leader for SGV – a Philippine member firm of EY – described the new normal as having changed people’s perception of traditional workforce models and behaviors, especially in the Philippines, where employees have been forced to work from home for one of the world’s longest periods of quarantine.
While 9 in 10 Southeast Asian employees want flexibility in workplace selection, 49 percent desired flexibility in work times, 48 percent desired flexibility in worksite, and 60 percent would abandon their positions if they were not supplied with post-pandemic flexibility.
According to Tan Lay Keng, EY Asean People Advisory Services Leader, firms who engage in collaborative technology and provide benefits that allow employees to work from home are more likely to succeed in the new normal.
READ NEXT: Looking to Work from Home? Consider These 10 Essential Tips