Less than half of Indian employees surveyed engaged in flexible work model: Report

With companies pushing workers to return to office, a report revealed that 44 per cent of Indian employees are engaged in a fully flexible work model, outpacing other Asia-Pacific (APAC) countries.

This is in contrast with 16 per cent in China, 20 per cent in Australia and 24 per cent in Singapore, the report, 'People at Work 2023', by payroll software and HR services and solutions provider ADP has said.

Notably, it revealed that 74 per cent of the Indian employees surveyed reported increased productivity, crediting the success to remote work thus explaining the acceptance of this model at offices.

"Amid the global debate on workers returning to the workplace, India stands out in offering the highest workplace flexibility in APAC, showcasing India Inc's commitment to creating a progressive work environment. Notably, a significant number of women are leading the charge in seeking workplace flexibility," ADP India and Southeast Asia Managing Director Rahul Goyal said.

In the face of this transition, it's important for organisations to be cognizant of the different needs of workers and accordingly adopt a viable workplace strategy that works for everyone rather than deploying a cookie cutter approach, he noted.

"This can ensure that organisations in India not just ride this wave of change but set the pace for a future where the workplace is as dynamic as the workforce itself," he added. The report is based on responses from over 32,000 workers across 17 countries including 7,721 in Asia Pacific (Australia, China, India and Singapore).

Further, the report revealed that only 14 per cent of Indians reported working from the office every day while 41 per cent are engaged in a hybrid model with a certain number of days in the office each week and the rest can be working from home.

Around 85 per cent of all survey respondents in India still enjoy working from home in some capacity, it added.

When it comes to flexibility of location, 43 per cent of respondents reported organisational approval for working from anywhere in the world, and 42 per cent have the flexibility to work from anywhere within India.

Over 74 per cent of respondents also reported a productivity increase and attributed this to the remote work model, said the report.

The report also found that 76 per cent of women respondents, including 78 per cent who are working mothers, feel empowered by flexible working arrangements.

This serves as a powerful facilitator in retaining women in the workforce, enabling them to effectively balance the demands of both their professional and personal lives, it stated.

In fact, the report revealed that 27 of respondents prioritise flexibility of work hours in their jobs among which 31 survey are women and 25 survey are men, indicating a preference for flexible working hours among working women, it added.

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