The past few years have given us a glimpse into the possibilities of remote work, and the opportunities that come with it. Workers are now calling for greater flexibility and work-life balance as they enter the post-pandemic era.  Our research to better understand the future of work has found that hybrid work is here to stay. Across the board, employees seek a sweet spot of spending three to four days in the office, and one to two days working from home. As of June 2022, almost seven per cent of paid job postings in Singapore offer remote work options, as compared to less than one per cent before the pandemic. Workers are also showing relatively more interest in remote job postings with 30 per cent more applications on average. Businesses and workers alike recognise and value the benefits that come with flexibility at work. Eighty percent of business leaders across the Asia-Pacific region believe it will positively impact their company’s culture, and seventy-four percent feel that flexible working can lead to greater diversity in the workforce. Our data also suggests that flexible work ultimately affects business outcomes in a positive way. We found that companies in Singapore achieved an improvement in productivity levels (40 per cent), strengthened their brand image (36 per cent) and improved employee retention rates (36 per cent) upon improving policies around work flexibility. Employees across Singapore, India, Australia and Japan, too, agree that hybrid work has improved their mental and physical health, not to mention their personal relationships.  But this flexibility doesn’t come without challenges. Employee disengagement is a top concern, especially among business leaders in Singapore (36 per cent) and Australia (31 per cent). At the same time, workers are concerned about the negative stigma associated with working from home, and how the lack of being physically present in the office might stunt their career growth and professional development. Women, in particular, fear the stigma attached to flexible working even though over 70 per cent preferred remote work options. Specifically, over 60 percent of women said that they have either left or considered leaving a job because they don’t offer flexible working policies. By providing flexible work options, companies are not only helping women to thrive at work, they will also be able to retain an important talent pool.  In order to thrive in the future world of work, we must meet these challenges head on. Business leaders must recognise the need to empower their employees with the solutions they need to succeed.
  1. The stigma around flexible working arrangements is something that needs to be addressed. Our data shows that some employees feel that their professional growth and development would be negatively impacted when working from home. In India, 56 per cent of respondents believe there is a negative stigma associated with working from home, and almost half of respondents (49 per cent) in Singapore thought that the lack of face-time with their boss and senior team would slow their career growth. In this new hybrid world of work, companies can provide training for hiring managers and team leaders to remove these unconscious biases. We can then look at employee engagement, development opportunities and career progression through a new lens — one that puts people, their skills and achievements first, to create a workforce based on merit.
  2. Collaboration and communication is key to success. In Australia, Singapore and Japan, business leaders are already focused on enabling stronger communication and teamwork. In total, close to 75 per cent of leaders have already introduced, or are planning to introduce, training courses that facilitate collaboration and keep employees’ skills up-to-date. 
  3. We can help to foster a conducive working environment at home. This means providing employees with a suitable office set-up, and helping them to adopt the skills they need to work remotely. Sixty-six percent of business leaders in India, and more than half of leaders in Australia and Singapore, recognise the importance of equipping staff with technology skills to navigate remote work.  
  4. When it comes to creating flexibility in the workplace, company culture can make all the difference. It’s not just about the policies an organisation implements, but also fostering a culture of trust. At LinkedIn, we’re going to be embracing a more flexible approach to work — based on trust — which gives every employee and team the autonomy to decide what kind of home-office split works best for them. More often than not, you’ll find that people tend to be self-motivated to hit goals and deadlines when working in an environment where they feel trusted and valued — which also works great for business outcomes. 
It may take some time for us to find the right balance, but I’m confident that we’re on our way to a more flexible future of work, one that is good for employees and for businesses. This may look different for everyone, but what matters is that we are willing to listen to what people need, and be open enough to explore new possibilities. Feon Ang is Managing Director, Asia Pacific (APAC), LinkedIn