No remote worker wants to go back to a 100% face-to-face model

After the advance of vaccination and the end of the summer vacations, many companies have launched the so-called "Back to the office". However, according to the latest data from InfoJobs, the arrival of September has not led to major changes in relation to the labor model prior to the holiday period. In fact, 3 out of 4 professionals in Spain work 100% face-to-face, while the rest continue to perform their tasks remotely.

To get a more accurate idea of the current situation, it is sufficient to note that, of the workers who were working remotely to date, only 13% have returned to the on-site model in the last two weeks.

One of the most significant conclusions to emerge from this report is that the higher the employment level of employees, the more likely they are to choose the work model.

Only 18% of employees with lesser responsibilities say that the decision to go or not to go to the office is up to them. This percentage, in the case of middle management, rises to 29%, while in the case of executives it rises to 53%.

At the national level, 23% of professionals who have returned to the office say they have done so by their own decision, and 20% say they have done so out of obligation. The remaining 58% corresponds to those professionals whose type of work task does not allow them to telework.

MOTIVES FOR RETURNING

With regard to the main reasons cited by workers for returning to the office, the following stand out: socializing with colleagues (37%), being more productive or efficient (35%) and teamwork (34%).

If they had a choice, 7 out of 10 workers would choose a work model that allowed them to telework, especially in a flexible way or going to the office 1 or 2 days a week.

Specifically, 29% would opt for a flexible hybrid model: to be able to manage when to work from home and when to work from the office. In addition, 21% would prefer to work 1 or 2 days from the office and the rest from home; 8%, 3 or 4 days from the office and the rest from home; and 11% would choose a full remote model.

On the other hand, no remote worker (only 2%) wants to go back to a 100% face-to-face model, and even 1 in 4 teleworkers would like to have a 100% remote model. Among those who currently work face-to-face, 60% say they would like to adopt a hybrid or 100% remote work format.

Finally, it should be noted that teleworking has become a benefit that professionals don't want to give up. And it is that 50% of teleworkers would reconsider changing jobs if their company would make them return to the office in a 100% face-to-face model. This percentage rises to 70% among those under 44 years of age, and drops to 30% in the case of workers between 45 and 65 years.

In the words of Mónica Pérez, director of Communications and Research at InfoJobs: “It is very likely that, as the dialogue between companies and workers progresses during the remainder of the year, teleworking will take hold in the world of work”.

Pérez adds: “Now that there is no doubt that teleworking is a compatible model and can bring multiple benefits to companies and professionals, it is also likely that others such as the four-day workweek will begin to take shape”.

WORK MODELS

With the data extracted from this report, it would be possible to establish a small X-ray of the current three work models (100% face-to-face, hybrid and 100% remote). Thus, it can be seen that those who prefer a fully face-to-face model respond to a profile between 55 and 65 years old, with a high presence in the south of Spain (26%) and dedicated to sectors such as education and, as expected, others such as agriculture and livestock.

In contrast, those who opt for a totally remote model are younger (25-34 years old), with residence in the center of the peninsula, and from the information and communications, financial, insurance or administrative activities, or arts and entertainment sectors.

Those who opt for the hybrid model are between 35 and 54 years of age, with a special focus on administrative work and auxiliary services.

FLEXIBLE OFFICES

When asked about the future of offices and the existence of a common physical space in which to work, almost half of the professionals (47%) said that they would like to work in a more flexible environment;While 44% say they will only be necessary for certain situations, such as team meetings or meetings with clients, only 9% say they will still be needed. Only 9% say they are not very or not at all important.

As a general rule, the older the employee, the more necessary the office is from his or her point of view. However, it is true that, among teleworkers, 1 in 5 consider that it is no longer necessary under any circumstances.

Finally, 59% of professionals commented that, for offices to adapt adequately to their new roles, they need to know how to evolve through more flexible start and finish times.

While 45% of workers highlight the need for them to evolve through the use of digital devices. Other changes to be implemented would be: the use of anti-Covid security elements (44%), the establishment of flexible or rotating work stations (34%) and the creation of spaces to develop creativity (28%).