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- Hybrid work has improved employee performance, work-life balance, well-being and company culture.
- These were the findings of a global survey involving 28 000 employees in 27 countries.
- SA respondents who participate in hybrid working models reported having a positive effect on all areas of employee well-being.
The Covid-19 pandemic has transformed the way most of us work. Now, for many, a hybrid future is imminent, says global consulting firm, McKinsey. Hybrid work is a flexible model that supports a blend of in-office and remote working.
For South Africans, participating in hybrid work can lead to better mental, physical, and financial well-being. This is according to the latest Cisco Global Hybrid Work Report, a study looking at the impact of hybrid working around the world.
The report, which included a survey of 28 000 full-time employees in 27 countries, reveals that for most people, work performance improved along with employees’ well-being, work-life balance, relationships and even personal confidence.
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“While initially, many employees were challenged by the sudden shift to hybrid and remote working arrangements, our study shows that two years on, as businesses have pivoted to survive, hybrid work has yielded many positive and lasting benefits for both employers and employees. In fact, this mode of working has become the norm and is set to stay,” the report reads.
SA employees
Survey respondents worked across a wide range of industries, including agriculture; consumer goods; construction and engineering; education; financial services; government and public service; healthcare; IT; technology & telecommunications; media and communications; NGOs, and tourism and hospitality.
According to South African employees surveyed, 86% felt hybrid and remote working had improved all aspects of their well-being, with that number above the global average of 78%.
Just over 60% also reported that this type of working had saved them at least four hours per week, while 27% said working from home had saved them eight or more hours per week.
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India (53.3%), South Africa (47.9%) and Vietnam (44.3%) had the largest numbers of respondents who had seen ‘significant improvements’ in well-being. At the other end of the scale were Indonesia (14.8%) and Korea (16%).
The countries with employees most in favour of fully remote work were the Philippines (37.7%); Canada (34.8%), and South Africa (33.5%), while the Netherlands (9.5%); UAE (9.7%) and Mainland China (10.1%) were least in favour of this work model.
Interestingly, there were some significant differences among the working generations, where over two-thirds (70.3%) of Gen-Zers (born between 1997 and 2010) said that their quality of work improved with hybrid work, compared to 49% of Baby Boomers (born between 1948 and 1964).
More time with loved ones
Modern life has led many of us to live in a high-speed world, leaving us with little time to spend with our loved ones. Therefore, it is no surprise that more than half (52%) of surveyed South Africans had reinvested extra time from hybrid working into “time with family, friends, and pets”.
Nearly 90% of those surveyed also said hybrid working had improved their family relationships, while 56% said it had improved their relationships with friends.
This work model also had benefits on people’s financial, mental and physical well-being:
- Just over 80% of South Africans said hybrid working had helped them save money, while 92% believed these savings could be maintained over the long term.
- More than 90% of South Africans said hybrid work had made them happier, while 67% said it had helped to reduce stress levels.
- Hybrid working was more relaxing and resulted in a less pressurised environment, said 34% of respondents.
- Around 70% of surveyed South Africans said they exercise more when working remotely, while 67% said their physical fitness had improved.
- The eating habits of the majority of surveyed respondents had also improved.
Says the report:
Building trust
The study also indicates that managing and maintaining high levels of trust will be a critical element for businesses to manage as they grow hybrid-working arrangements. While 70.5% of respondents believe their manager trusts them to be productive when working remotely, a far lower number (58.9%) believe their colleagues can be trusted to work remotely.
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Majority of companies not 'very prepared'
“Going back to the old ways of doing things is not an option for employees or for those companies serious about competing for the best talent,” says the report.
However, while the vast majority feel hybrid work arrangements have benefited them, only around one in four employees believed their company was ‘very prepared’ for a hybrid work future, stressing the need for a lot more work to be done to fully embed hybrid work arrangements.
