As the world slowly recovers from the effects of Covid 19, many companies are now considering returning to an office work setup. This is good news for the many Filipinos who lost their jobs due to the pandemic, as they can finally work again. However, this could be problematic for remote workers who, by now, have grown to like working from home.
According to a study by Ernst and Young (EY), eighty-four percent of Southeast Asian workers prefer working remotely even after the pandemic is over. From this eighty-four percent, thirty-two percent said that they wanted to work anywhere. While twenty-nine percent wanted a full-time online job. And finally, twenty-three percent wanted a hybrid work setup.
From the same survey, only fifteen percent want to return to a full-time office job once the pandemic is over. You may be wondering: “why is it that many remote workers are hesitant to go back to an office setup?”
To answer this question, here are some reasons why many remote workers are hesitant to return to an office setup. Also included in this article is a list of companies that offers long-term remote work.
Health Concerns.
Let’s start with the most obvious concern for remote workers, their health, and that of their loved ones. Despite the low number of Covid cases these past few days, many remain concerned due to the newly discovered omicron variant. Going to an office means that remote workers are putting themselves and their families at greater risk of contracting the virus.
One of the advantages of remote work is that you are secured that the chances of you and your family contracting Covid are low. Knowing that you and your family are safe helps you focus on your work instead of your safety. This, in turn, improves your work productivity.
Flexibility With Work Hours and Location.
Another reason remote workers are hesitant to work in an office is because remote work is more flexible. With remote work, they can work whenever they need to and wherever they may be. This kind of flexibility would’ve been near impossible to achieve in an office setting. But in remote work? It’s the norm.
Remote workers value this newfound flexibility so much that they may consider leaving their jobs if their employers don’t offer a flexible setup post-pandemic. Turning to EY’s survey again shows that sixty percent of remote workers are willing to consider leaving if their employers don’t provide post-pandemic flexibility.
Issues With Productivity.
There’s just something about remote working that improves the productivity of some remote workers. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s less rigid than a traditional office setup. Or perhaps, they’ve just gotten used to working remotely already. Whatever their reason, many workers have discovered that a remote work setup better suits them.
As the prospect of returning to an office setup looms, many remote workers are concerned that going to an office may negatively affect their productivity. Adapting back to an office setup can be challenging for them, especially if they live far from the company’s office. In addition, an office setup can be stiffening to some remote workers, who are used to working flexibly.
Difficulties With Commuting to Work.
And speaking of the distance between the remote worker’s home and the office, commuting is also another downside of returning to an office setup. As we all know, commuting in the Philippines is very difficult, both before and during the pandemic. And with many industries opening up again, you can expect commuting to grow even more difficult.
Not only does commuting waste a lot of a worker’s time, but it also causes stress. So when they arrive in the office, they’re both haggard and tired before starting their work. Working from home allows them to avoid this hassle and instead focus on their work.
Remote Working Is Cheaper.
Another reason why remote workers are hesitant about returning to the office is that remote work is cheaper. For many remote workers, saving even just a little bit of money is a big help for their finances. In this time of increased prices for commodities, every peso saved matters.
A great source of expense while working in an office is, once again, commuting. Even if you commute via jeepneys, commuting can become expensive as the cost of going to and from your work adds up. Another source of expenses while working in an office is food. If you’re not bringing a homemade meal, you need to spend money to get yourself some food.
Bad Bosses.
And finally, the prospect of being under an overbearing and uncaring superior is putting off many remote workers from going back to the office. Of course, this doesn’t mean that there are no bosses like these in an online job. The difference is that in remote work, you do not need to interact with them
Not only can bad bosses negatively affect employee productivity, but they can also make employees resign from their jobs. Bad bosses make it that even if an employee likes their job, they’ll still feel miserable working on it.
Work Flexibility Is the Way to the Future.
And there you have it. Here are some reasons why remote workers are hesitant about returning to an office-based work setup. Times are changing, and if companies want to survive, they must learn to adapt to these changes. In today’s digitally-connected world, many remote workers have grown to appreciate the flexibility of remote working.
Aside from them, many companies have seen the benefits of remote work, such as Apple, Microsoft, Linkedin, and Remote Staff. These companies show that not remote work isn’t just a substitute for office work but is a new way for employees to work today.
