Over half of workers in the UAE felt happier working from home over the past year, according to a study commissioned by Avaya – but 40 percent said they are worried about the arrangement remaining on a permanent basis.
The Life and Work Beyond 2020 study, conducted by research firm Davies Hickman Partners, polled 10,000 consumers and workers in 11 countries to discover the impacts of Covid-19 on consumer wellbeing and values.
It found that workers in the UAE are among the fondest of work-from-anywhere models, with 64 percent saying that the ability to conduct hybrid work – from a home or office – would contribute to their happiness. That compares to 40 percent of respondents in Germany, 44 percent in the UK, and 62 percent in the United States.
The survey also revealed that UAE workers are the world’s best equipped for remote working, with 64 percent claiming that they have access to the technology necessary to work from anywhere – a higher number of respondents than seen in any other country.
“Our Life and Work Beyond 2020 study identifies the large-scale changes that are taking place in the world of work, as well as how these changes are perceived by employees. By understanding employees’ concerns about the workplace, both now and in the future, business leaders and government organizations can determine the best routes forward,” said Nidal Abou-Ltaif, president – International, Avaya.
As well as a preference for the ability to work from anywhere, the study revealed some of the biggest worries that UAE employees have about the future of work. Over half (51 percent) said that returning to the office full-time would be their biggest worry, while 44 percent identified being replaced by automation as their top concern.
Despite a majority of UAE employees willing to embrace a new, hybrid world of work, concerns about a return to the office remain.
Almost a third (30 percent) said they do not believe that their employers trust them to work from anywhere, and 37 percent said that they do not believe their employer puts an emphasis on their wellbeing. What’s more, 39 percent worry about meeting people face-to-face once they are back in a working environment.
Nidal Abou-Ltaif, president – International, Avaya
“It is encouraging to see a majority of UAE employees feeling well-equipped with the technology to work from anywhere – and is a validation of the work we at Avaya have been doing with organisations across the country to enable digital workforces,” said Abou-Ltaif.
“The key finding, however, is that 40 percent of UAE employees actually worry about working from home forever, meaning that a key requirement for business success in 2021 and beyond will be building a hybrid model of work that suits the needs of every employee”, he added.
Follow us on
