HR Professionals Indicate That Working from Home May Be the New Norm

Working from hom digitally

89% of HR professionals say they have allowed employees to work from home during the pandemic, and 77% say they intend to continue allowing employees to do so when there is no longer the risk of infection. These findings are revealed in Benify’s latest study, where more than 900 HR professionals were surveyed about how COVID-19 has impacted the work of HR.

Before COVID-19, 74% of survey respondents said their employees had the opportunity to work from home before the pandemic, but only when necessary and only after receiving their manager's approval. Following the outbreak of the pandemic, the vast majority (89%) of survey participants say they have allowed employees to work from home. 

On whether remote working will become the new norm, 77% of participants say they intend to allow employees to continue working from home if they want to; however, only 10% plan to allow their employees the unrestricted possibility to work from home.

The current working conditions have seen HR professionals prioritizing company culture and togetherness at time when many employees are working away from the office and the risks of loneliness, isolation or mental illness increase.

On these risks and how HR can prevent them, Katie Goodwin, Head of Client Relations International, Benify says:

"We've seen businesses doing a lot to keep camaraderie going, maintain team spirit, and a sense of working together. People have been really creative, sending care packages home, sending favorite things to employees who are having a tough time, showing we're all in this together, we're all thinking of you, and looking out for you. We've seen some really nice ways employers are trying to connect while we're all very isolated." 

About the study

Benify surveyed HR personnel through Netigate. The survey ran from June until September. There were 913 participants, 98% of participants coming from the Nordics, Central Europe, and the UK. 60% of participants work in organizations with less than 500 employees, and 29% in organizations with more than 1,000 employees. A wide range of industries were represented, but the three most common were construction & manufacturing, IT & Telecommunications, and the public sector.

To view the full report, please contact ylva.eriksson@benify.com.