In March 2020, businesses across the US were forced to close their shutters and employees instructed to do their job from home. The abrupt change in working setups has brought a number of benefits to both employer and employee, with many opting to maintain remote working practices for the long-term.
Determined to flesh out the real reasons workers are eager to stay remote, Digital.com, providers of people-powered reviews to help businesses find the best online tools, carried out a survey.
The survey interviewed 1,000 remote workers about what they liked most about working from home.
Two-Thirds of Remote Workers Want to Stay at Home with Their Pets
Pets ranked amongst the top reasons to remain remote, with 75% of participants saying they want to stay at home with their pets.
It’s no secret that pet adoption soared during 2020, a trend that led to the phrase “pandemic pets” being coined.
Digital.com’s survey reveals that three out of four remote workers cite wanting to stay at home to be with their pets as the main reason for maintaining a remote working set-up.
Childcare is a Leading Motive for Remote Setups
The love of being with their pets day in day out even surpassed caring for children as a primary reason for homeworking. 68% of participants cited childcare as their top motive for working from home.
73% of the remote workers surveyed said watching TV, or listening to podcasts, music or other media as one of the reasons they wanted to maintain home working.
The findings of the report provide valuable insight for small businesses who are continuing to allow employees to work from home. Knowing the reasons behind workers love of remote setups will help employers keep track of their workforce even when they’re not in the same physical office space.
Tremendous Value in the Flexibility of Remote Working
The study also shows how much employees value the freedom and flexibility of homeworking, something employers should consider if deliberating whether to maintain remote working practices.
As Dennis Consorte, small business and startup marketing expert at Digital.com, comments:
“More people are starting to realize that there’s tremendous value in having the flexibility to work remotely. They get to travel, to spend time with their families, to care for pets, and to work without a boss constantly checking up on them. Businesses should embrace this reality and offer more flexibility, not less. Start paying more attention to the value that each worker produces, and less attention to the hours they spend glued to a desk.”
“And, remind them that they have a community of like-minded people that they can connect with either virtually or in person. Many people prefer to feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves. A company that’s intentional about giving people purpose and community will retain far more people than one that doesn’t,” Consorte continues.
Well over half of the respondents (62%) cite concerns about their appearance and going back to work in in-person following such a long time away as the real reason they want to work from home.
14% Will Never Return to the Office
14% of remote workers report that they will never return to physical office space, even if required by their employer. Instead, they would give up their positions and find other remote opportunities.
The unveilings of the study are important to any employer that is considering their future work setups. The diverse reasons employees enjoy homeworking should be considered. As should the value employees put on working remotely in order for businesses to attract and retain the right talent.
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I’m surprised that pets ranked higher than children, but I can understand it somewhat. Having kids in the house can be very distracting.
I went full WFH years ago, so I’m a huge proponent and I think many people are getting to experience the benefits for the first time with the pandemic. However, I still maintain that WFH isn’t for everyone. There are a lot of people who do better in an office with coworkers. Businesses need to figure out how to accommodate everyone and help everyone be as successful as possible.
I had to laugh a bit when I read that more remote workers want to stay home for their pets over kids…I thought I was the only one that felt this way ! I’ve been working from home for several years, with my retired husband ramming around the house, and I too pick my pet as the #1 reason to stay working remotely.