We all harbor secrets. Some are big and bad; some are small and trivial. Researchers have parsed which truths to tell and which not to. 
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Posted July 21, 2022 Reviewed by Michelle Quirk
As the pandemic continues to evolve and more and more companies are broadly open for business, a change has occurred in American employees’ work preferences. More employees are now working from home by choice rather than necessity. What began as a concern for COVID-19 has morphed into an attitudinal change with long-term societal implications. People tried working from home because they had to and the simple fact is many like it. A lot. More than they expected to.
A study earlier this year from Pew Research, “Covid-19 Pandemic Continues to Reshape Work in America,” underscores these feelings. Following are some of the survey’s key findings:
Prior to the pandemic, 57 percent of employees “rarely or never” worked from home.
For those who have a workplace outside of home, 61 percent are now choosing not to go into it; earlier in the pandemic, this number was only 36 percent—although it’s true many businesses were closed at the time, so they may not always have had a choice. Regardless, the reality is large numbers of employees tried something new and found they liked it. The research states that for those who can utilize a remote work option, 78 percent say “they’d like to continue to do so after the pandemic.”
Importantly (especially from the perspective of a former manager who has always believed strongly in the strong motivational value of employee development), 72 percent of employees feel working from home has not affected their ability to advance.
These data are entirely consistent with my own observations and discussions I’ve had with employees. Let’s consider some substantive benefits working from home can provide:
Managements have responded in mixed ways to this new remote-working world. For those types of businesses where it is indeed a reasonable possibility, some have embraced it and some have disliked it. Reluctant managers will do well to keep in mind statistics such as these noted in the Pew research; the broad enthusiasm for work-from-home options will continue to be an important element in recruiting and retaining good employees.
References
Horowitz, J.M., Minkin, R. & Parker, K. (February 16, 2022). COVID-19 Pandemic Continues To Reshape Work in America. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2022/02/16/covid-19-pandemic-…
Victor Lipman is author of The Type B Manager: Leading Successfully in a Type A World. His online courses on Udemy are “The Manager’s Mindset” and “How to Manage Difficult Employees.”
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We all harbor secrets. Some are big and bad; some are small and trivial. Researchers have parsed which truths to tell and which not to.
