A survey commissioned by concierge services firm Les Concierges among employees working from home during COVID-19 lockdown found that majority of them preferred to work from office, though work from home (WFH) has its distinct advantages.
The national survey, conducted by opinion research firm MindEscapes, covered 1,240 individuals over the age of 25 years during May 3 to 10 period. Its attempt to provide trends in the changing workplace and the impact on employees' efforts to find balance between the demands of work and home found that 54 per cent of the respondents said their hours of work have increased after they started working from home. On an average, they are working for 10 hours now. While 47 per cent said it increased their stress levels, 93 per cent said they are looking for avenues to keep stress low.
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The survey, which covered only full time employees said 52.9 per cent of respondents prefer work from office, due to challenges like time and space. However, a majority, 67 per cent, said an office address gives them a sense of pride. The major challenge in focusing on their work, as identified by 89 per cent of respondents, was home interruptions caused by family members, pets and even ringing doorbells. Majority - 64 per cent - also pointed out that their homes are ill equiped or too small.
For 38 per cent of the employees, loneliness was a challenge, while 36 per cent were worried about iffy WiFi connectivity. Prioritising work was a challenge for 30 per cent. Women respondents found the merging of well defined roles at home and work to be hugely challenging.
The survey also tried to find out the best things of work from home. Commuting, flexibile schedule, cozy clothes, custom enrivonment and more savings were some of the attractions.
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