EY: Employees want flexible work arrangements post-pandemic

The vaccine roll-out may bring the world closer to pre-pandemic times, but it seems the workplace has changed forever.

Nine in 10 employees in Southeast Asia want flexibility in where and when they work, while six out of 10 would consider leaving their job if they are not offered such options.

According to the EY 2021 Work Reimagined Employee Survey, only 15% of employees surveyed from Southeast Asia would prefer to work from the office full-time.

The majority would prefer to work anywhere (32%), work remotely full-time (29%), or in a hybrid work arrangement (23%).

Conducted in March by professional services firm EY, the global survey heard from more than 16,000 employees across 16 countries and 23 industries, including 1,037 respondents across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Millennials — or those born between 1981 and 1996 — represented more than half of all respondents, and the survey targeted those who worked at companies with at least 500 employees.

On average, employees would want to work between two and three days remotely, with 35% of employees saying they want a shorter working week altogether.

The majority (69%) believe their productivity can be accurately measured irrespective of location.

Yet, there is a strong perception (86%) that this arrangement would impact their access to career opportunities.

Despite the apparent willingness to move jobs for more flexible working arrangements, most employee respondents (78%) say they are satisfied with their jobs. Almost all (91%) say they plan to stay in their current roles for the following 12 months.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a major shift in where we work, when we work and how we work. Employers that promote hybrid work arrangements and provide the flexibility for employees to work anywhere and anytime, are ahead of the curve,” says Tan Lay Keng, EY’s Asean people advisory services leader.

“These employers are likely to have better employee attraction, retention and satisfaction in the long run, which could positively impact the business,” Tan adds.