The coronavirus pandemic has reshaped the way of working, with a rising trend of employees working from home.
A new research by the workspace innovation company Instant Group has found that 80% of the workplaces in Germany now have a flexible work policy in place. The country has earlier introduced its ‘Right to Work from Home’ bill aimed at encouraging more flexibility.
The Netherlands is in the second place with 75%, followed by Australia (71%), the United States (69%), Canada and the United Kingdom (68%), Brazil (67%), South Africa (62%), Spain (61%) and France (60%).
The study has found that a remote workforce also has financial benefits as companies save on office space. In this context, 65% of workers in the United Kingdom have said they are more productive in home offices than at their regular offices. Employees in the UK have a legal right to request flexible working under the Employment Rights Act.
79% of South African workers consider working from home as the new normal. Canada is in the second place with 77%, followed by the US, Australia and Spain with 74%, the Netherlands and the UK (73%), Brazil (72%), Germany and France (68%).
Most major companies have already adopted policies to enable employees to work from home. Amazon and Microsoft workers have the option to work from home until October, Google and Facebook workers have the option until the end of the year, while Twitter has allowed their employees to work from home permanently.
“Considering these trends, it’s reasonable to expect that the right to work from home could help businesses to retain more diverse talent, save on turnover costs and enjoy the benefits of a happier, more engaged workforce”, said John Williams, a researcher in the project.
