- The death of the long commute: 17% were commuting for an hour or more before the pandemic, but no respondents are doing it regularly now
- The Rise of the Remote Worker: More than half (53%) of the workforce is STILL working completely remotely in the same country as their employer
- Digital dreams: 45% of us dream of leading a digital nomad life and surprisingly one in five (21%) can say this is how they currently work
- Great flexible expectations: 72% now think flexible working should be seen as a standard rather than a perk in the workplace
New research from digital recruiters Futureheads has revealed key findings about the long-term impacts of the pandemic on work practices, including death from the long commute. Before Covid-19, 17% of UK workers regularly traveled for an hour or more, but none surveyed still do so regularly 2.5 years after the start of the pandemic. Additionally, short commute has decreased from nearly half (48%) of us who travel locally regularly to just 2.6% of workers in 2022.
With the vast majority (94%) of respondents saying their work setup has changed since the pandemic, remote working has become common practice, with more than half (53%) of the workforce still working remotely in the same country as their employer. Many are taking the next step with remote work to embrace the life of a digital nomad and work remotely from anywhere in the world, and one in five (21%) now say this is how they currently work.
With Bali, in particular, being a favorite destination for digital nomads, thanks to its affordable cost of living, friendly communities, amenities and attractions, it is perhaps unsurprising that over 45% dream of this lifestyle. And with 7.9% of respondents now working for online-only businesses, it seems like the digital nomad lifestyle isn’t as out of reach as you might think.
With social factors such as the pandemic, the predicted ‘Great Exhaustion’ (where swathes of workers suffer from burnout) and the cost of living crisis adding to the pressure and often causing high stress among workforces, providing flexibility and additional benefits from support is a must for businesses across the UK in 2022. In a new role, 1 in 4 respondents voted remote working as a really important option and 72% think it should be seen as standard practice rather than a ‘ benefit’.
Nathan Callaghan, Managing Director of Futureheads, commented:
“If you’re not a fan of early rises, busy trains and tedious car trips, you’ll be happy to hear that the era of long journeys is over. What our research results really show is that now, more than ever, a company’s ability to adapt work structures that help workers maintain their work-life balance is vital, traditional mindsets and rigid structures. of office work are no longer so easily accepted by people in 2022.
We are happy to share these findings so that our clients can create a compelling offer for candidates to attract and retain the best talent, and candidates, in turn, can enjoy better job offers that meet their needs.”
For more information about Futureheads, visit www.wearefutureheads.com
