HP Innovation Issue 17: Spring 2021 | Page 29

40 % of employees
20 % of remote workers are expected to utilize a remote-working model in the future
84 % of workers
70 % of managers
COVID-19 spread . Many employees hope this will continue . A PwC survey found that 74 % of office workers would like to work remotely two days a week or more , even after the pandemic ends .
This could be a substantial benefit to companies , as remote work can lead to productivity gains and savings . In a survey covering the United States , Germany , and India , around 75 % of employees said that during the first months of the pandemic they were able to maintain or improve productivity on their individual tasks . Even on collaborative tasks with coworkers , or
40 % of employees
20 % of remote workers are expected to utilize a remote-working model in the future
SOURCE : BCG
say their biggest struggle is around collaboration and communication
SOURCE : BUFFER
84 % of workers
would like to work remotely at least one day per week
SOURCE : PwC
84 %
70 %
70 % of managers
are now more receptive to remote work arrangements than they were pre-pandemic
SOURCE : BCG “ Employees who choose to work from home at least halftime could save between $ 2,500 and $ 4,000 maintain or improve their productivity .
There are also potential cost savings . A typical employer can save about $ 11,000 per year for every person who works remotely half-time . Employees who choose to work from home at least half-time could save between $ 2,500 and $ 4,000 a year , thanks to reduced transportation , parking , and food costs .
Even with those benefits , there will likely still be times when collaboration , development , training , and corporate culture require us to gather in person . Microsoft announced a flexible workplace option , offering most of its employees a combined work-from-home and work-at-office model . Twitter , which adopted a permanent workfrom-home policy during the pandemic , has mentioned using its office space postpandemic for meetings and gatherings .
This will require new ways of thinking about space , interaction , and safety . Flexible spaces with movable walls , common areas and pathways designed with social distancing in mind , spaced-out offices , team pods , private working areas , and testing and temperature stations will need to be factored into retrofitted and new office designs . Employees will need to be healthy and feel safe when they return .
Reduced-occupancy meeting rooms and elevators , rapid diagnostic tests , upgraded air filter and filtration systems , cleaning protocols , hand-sanitizing stations , and social-distance directional signage will all be part of our “ new norm .” To help organizations structure phased returns , tools such as ReRun will be used to calculate how many people an office space can safely fit and where they should sit . ServiceNow introduced apps focused on employee-readiness surveys , health screening , workplace safety , and personal protective equipment .
We believe the future of work will be a hybrid model , and the role of the office will become a place to facilitate teamwork and group activities . This will drive the need for solutions to enable employee productivity , cooperation , and engagement , wherever they might be .
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