The coronavirus pandemic has impacted all corners of our world, creating pivotal shifts in attitudes and workplace expectations among workers and leaders.
The Adecco Group, the world’s leading HR solutions company, surveyed 8,000 office-based respondents (aged 18-60) across Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the UK and the USA in May 2020, examining the expected short- and long-term impact of the pandemic on resetting workplace norms. The full study named Resetting Normal: Defining the New Era of Work.
A similar study has been carried out in Asia to determine the changed expectations of Asian workers. 1,500 workers across China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, India and South Korea were surveyed.
The findings reveal a stark emerging shift in many of the entrenched working patterns that have held for generations – and a clear gap between the expectancy of workers and the capabilities of organisations in rising to meet them.
Shifts in workplace expectations for the post-pandemic world
Ian Lee, CEO of The Adecco Group APAC, says: “COVID-19 has prompted businesses to rethink how they operate, as well as to restructure how they approach employee relationships with work, technology and the wider society. We will eventually come to the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, but what we know for sure is that the world of work will never return to the pre-pandemic standard of normalcy. To transform rather than survive through the crisis, businesses must seize this unprecedented opportunity to ‘ResetNormal’ to create a more inclusive and productive world of work. This means listening to the voices of people and establishing norms that cater for their betterment, even if it requires them to break-through traditional boundaries.”
Key research highlights:
- Across Asia, workers believe that government, employers and individuals hold almost equal responsibility for ensuing a better working world. The wider global survey found that respondents put more emphasis on the responsibility of their employers to ensure a better world of work, with 80% believing they held responsibility compared to only 68% across Asia. Our recent report on APAC Government Policy Responses to COVID-19 points to some insights into the government trust equation.
- The research revealed that the working world is ready for a new “hybrid” model, with over 30% of respondents claiming that they would like to spend at least half of their working hours working remotely from home.
- Additionally, 74% of respondents claimed that they agree that the increased flexibility in working patterns will make jobs in their profession accessible to more people compared to before the pandemic, with 81% of respondents agreeing that both individuals and businesses will benefit from allowing increased flexibility around office and remote working.
For more information:
- Let's download the Resetting Normal: Defining the New Era of Work – Asia addendum in the blue form
About the Adecco Group
The Adecco Group is the world’s leading HR solutions company. We believe in making the future work for everyone, and every day enable more than 3.5 million careers. We skill, develop, and hire talent in 60 countries, enabling organisations to embrace the future of work. As a Fortune Global 500 company, we lead by example, creating shared value that fuels economies and builds better societies. Our culture of inclusivity, entrepreneurship and teamwork empowers our 35,000 employees and we are proud to have been consistently ranked one of the 'World's Best Workplaces' by Great Place to Work®. The Adecco Group AG is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland (ISIN: CH0012138605) and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ADEN) and powered by nine global brands: Adecco, Adia, Badenoch & Clark, General Assembly, Lee Hecht Harrison, Modis, Pontoon, Spring Professional and Vettery.