The working-from-home experience caused by the pandemic has left many Americans wondering why they need to work at an office at all.
According to staffing firm Robert Half, 77% of the 1,000 office professionals surveyed said they are currently working from home, and 63% said their job is getting done.
Sixty percent of the workers who transitioned to a remote setup cited better work-life balance without a commute, and 43% said they are more comfortable with technology.
Interestingly, 20% of respondents said working from home has resulted in them growing closer to colleagues, and 19% said their relationship with their boss has grown stronger.
The survey found that a majority (79%) of respondents believe employers should allow employees to work from home more often, and 74% anticipate telecommuting more often when shelter restrictions lift. More parents (79%) than those without children (68%) expressed this preference, the survey said.
And while 56% of survey respondents worry about being in close proximity to colleagues, about the same (55%) believe it will be more difficult to build strong relationships with colleagues if teams aren't in the same building as much.
But many workers said employers will need to take several measures for them to feel comfortable in the office setting. In addition to allowing more employees to work from home, respondents said employers will need to have better cleaning procedures (79%); hold fewer meetings and trainings, and stagger employees’ work schedules (55%); require employees to wear masks (52%) and change the office layout (46%).
Paul McDonald, senior executive director of Robert Half, pointed out when companies re-open that business as usual will be different. “Employers and their teams have been resourceful in operating from dispersed locations, and there are going to be important lessons learned that will guide future collaboration,” he said in a statement.
McDonald added that managers should use any time of transition to reassess priorities and make meaningful change that improves the work environment because employees will want reassurance their employer is prioritizing health and safety.
As for business protocol in the post-pandemic world, respondents noted that social distancing will continue to be in play. Nearly three-quarter of workers (72%) indicated they will rethink shaking hands with business contacts and will schedule fewer in-person meetings. Sixty-one percent anticipate spending less time in common areas in the office, 59% will reconsider attending in-person business events, and 57% will reconsider traveling for business.
Additionally, 73% think there will be fewer in-person social and team-building activities with colleagues.