Poly has released a report that reveals the secrets of hybrid work. The study – involving more than 4,000 hybrid employees from the UK, France and Germany – highlights new behaviors and habits in off-site work. The study shows that some team members may suffer from the „home comfort syndrome” caused by the blurring of the boundaries between home and work due to the place of work.

„Anytime hybrid work helps free employees from working within the tight 9 to 5 timeframe, giving them more flexibility to do things they wouldn’t normally have the time to do,” comments Paul Clark, Senior Vice President of EMEA Sales at Poly. More than 3 in 5 (68%) of European hybrid workers enjoy the possibility of a nap during the day, getting out of bed with only 30 minutes or less to start work, and almost a quarter of those polled found more time to exercise, such as yoga. walking or stretching. “We all need a better work-life balance, and hybrid work makes it possible. But team members must be careful not to fall into the trap of „home comfort syndrome” – overly laxing during meetings and forgetting where they are and what they should be focusing on at the moment. „

Poly’s study reveals the good, bad, and less-than-glory secrets of hybrid and remote work.

The changing work patterns mean that employees have more time to themselves – which allows them to work at any time and maintain a better work-life balance. The greater popularity of devices that allow for good-quality audio and videoconferencing has increased the comfort of hybrid employees who perform their professional duties in various environments.

• Many hybrid employees take daytime naps or extend their sleep time by staying in bed longer: almost a fifth (17%) report getting out of bed with five minutes or less, and 68% only wake up 30 minutes before starting work. Interestingly, it is the older generation that makes the afternoon nap as a priority, as 31% of people over 55 wake up only five minutes or less before starting work.
• Almost a quarter (23%) of employees started exercising, such as doing yoga, walking or stretching during a conference or video chat.
• As many as 24% of French respondents admitted that they had a haircut or a cosmetic treatment during a videoconference or phone call. For comparison, in Germany it is only 4% and in Great Britain 6%.
• Almost 1/3 (26%) of employees used the time of an audio-conference or videoconference to prepare breakfast, lunch or dinner; 21% cleaned the house and 19% washed the dishes or loaded the dishwasher.
• 28% of UK and French respondents looked after their children during a videoconference, compared to 14% of those interviewed in Germany.

Many positive aspects do not mean that a sudden transition to remote or hybrid work is nothing but superlatives – many feel the tension associated with it. Home comfort syndrome has made many people forget where they are and what they should be doing, and some have unfortunately been caught doing it. The results of the study show that:

• 37% of employees admit to working from the couch, and almost a quarter (24%) feel less embarrassed about watching streaming services such as Netflix while working.
• Workers at home feel more at ease browsing the Internet (42%), checking non-business e-mails (40%), shopping online (36%), visiting social networks (34%) and handling administrative matters related to their private life (28%) when they should be doing their job.
• As many as 40% of employees admit to shaking their heads or rolling their eyes during conversations and videoconferences, with women doing it more often than men (44% vs. 34%). A quarter of employees witnessed these gestures from colleagues.
• 18% of UK and 16% French respondents saw or heard a co-worker argue with a partner or family member during an online meeting, compared with 8% of German respondents.
• Every tenth employee (10%) admits to napping during a conversation or videoconference.

Shameful habits:

• More than a third (34%) of employees used the toilet during an online meeting.
• 15% of UK respondents and 14% of French respondents witnessed an interlocutor picking his nose at conferences, compared to just 7% in Germany.
• 14% of employees admit to showing the middle finger or swearing during a call and 9% of having seen a colleague do so.
• Of employees who are less worried about their appearance than working from home (57%), 50% admit that they use deodorant less often and 34% admit that they brush their teeth less often.
• Among employees who paid less attention to their appearance, as many as 39% washed less often, and 44% less worried about working with a hangover.
• 67% of people who are less concerned about their appearance since working from home say they have saved money by not buying elegant clothes and cosmetics.
• In addition, 73% spend less time grooming and getting ready for work, and 72% use less products such as makeup and hair gel.

Source: https://kadry.infor.pl/kadry/hrm/komunikacja/5324005,Dobre-i-zle-nawyki-pracy-zdalnej-BADANIE.html

Projekt otrzymał dofinansowanie z Norwegii poprzez Fundusze Norweskie 2014-2021, w ramach programu „Dialog społeczny – godna praca”.