Job site Indeed, conducted a survey of employees, as well as employers, across industrial sectors in India in order to gauge their views on remote work policies, and found that an overwhelming majority of job seekers feel that flexibility is a key aspect of work, which has, in turn, spurred employers to offer remote work options to their workforce.

According to the survey findings, 83% of employees surveyed feel that a company’s remote work policy is important when searching for a job. Almost half (48%) of employees surveyed agreed that they would consider changing their job if their current workplace eliminated their remote work policy. Further, 73% of employees whose current workplace does not offer remote work options would like their companies to offer the alternative, and 53% would even consider taking a pay cut if they could have the option. 

76% of employees whose current workplace does not offer remote work options would consider switching to a job that offered more flexibility, while 42% of employees said they have already searched for such job roles. Employees across sectors believe that being able to work remotely allows them to maintain a better work-life balance and that it reduces stress and improves morale. 56% of employees surveyed believe that having flexibility at work makes them more productive workers.

Employers today are increasingly looking at adopting remote work policies in order to attract and retain the best of talent, in keeping with the changing priorities of the present workforce, comprised largely of millennials. In fact, almost all of the companies surveyed (99%) have invested in technology such as video conferencing tools, laptops, smartphones, Slack (searchable log of all conversation and knowledge) in order to make remote working more accessible to their employees. Even though 47% of employers surveyed feel that the investment required in technology to facilitate remote work is a deterrent, 83% of employers believe that offering employees flexibility in work improves productivity.

Companies that have implemented remote work policies have observed savings in operational costs, improved employee morale, reduced absenteeism, reduced employee turnover, and reduced cost on health insurance as a result. 

Sashi Kumar, Managing Director, Indeed India said, “If implemented properly, remote working can be a powerful means of engaging the workforce and attracting a wider pool of talent. Employees can channel their creativity more productively if allowed to work at their convenience. The challenge lies in managing workers effectively, irrespective of where they are, and ensuring they are able to fulfil their aspirations and grow their career trajectory.”

However, a small minority of the employers surveyed (2%) have eliminated remote work options as they believe that it hinders collaboration and could be misused by employees. Contrary to this, employees surveyed said that they would work from home only two days a week on average if they had the option. It is worth noting that some employees also perceive limited visibility and access to leadership, difficulty in collaboration and effectively working with other teams, and limited career growth as possible consequences of remote working.