52% of Singaporeans would quit their job if they couldn't work hybrid anymore

According to new research from FlexOS, a Singapore-based platform that helps companies manage their hybrid teams and offices with a focus on the employee experience and company culture, hybrid work is now here to stay.

FlexOS partnered with the global innovation platform and venture capital firm Plug and Play on the research entitled "The State of Hybrid Work in Singapore".

Hybrid Work combines work from home, office, and 'third places' like cafes and coworking spaces. And it's taking the world by storm. According to global consultancy firm McKinsey, over 90% of companies are switching to hybrid work long-term.

Hybrid workers report higher levels of job satisfaction, engagement, and commitment and  Stanford researchers have proven that hybrid work increases employee retention. Furthermore once you have it, like many Singaporean employees, it's hard to go back.

According to the research, conducted in October 2022, 1 in 2 (52%) of Singaporean employees currently practicing hybrid work say they would quit their job if there were no longer an option for flexible work.

This number goes up even further for Millennials (25-34), where 57% say they would quit without a hybrid working option. These insights make it clear that companies and employees have good reasons to be in the office; asking employees to come back entirely is at the companies' peril.

Human Connection

While working from home has many benefits, employees in Singapore still have good reasons to come back to the office. Amongst all options, collaboration (1), doing focused work (2), and socialising with colleagues (3) were ranked the highest.

Interestingly, Gen Z (18-24) wants to be in the office for on-the-job learning so they can get direct feedback. This makes sense, given that about 80% of learning happens by shadowing others – something that's hard to do at home.

On the other hand, millennials (25-34) choose to come into the office for the right environment and vibe to do work more than other age groups.

Employers who are wondering how to attract employees back into the office should look no further than workshops as the research shows that 67% of hybrid workers in Singapore would be motivated to come to the office for social, creative, well-being, and training workshops.

Get-togethers such as team lunches, coffee breaks, co-working sessions, and other group activities organised by managers (53%) closely follow workshops.

Staying Connected

Knowing that their favorite colleagues are in on a certain day is the reason to return to the office for 45% of employees.

Hybrid and remote teams have a weaker sense of connection and community. But according to this study, a whopping 90% of Singaporean employees want to take an active role and create small events like lunches or doing something fun after work to ensure the team stays connected.

Of these employees, 58% would do it without any reward, whereas 42% think getting rewarded for taking the initiative would be motivating. Especially Gen Z and Millennials say they'd do that, but only if their employer rewarded them for it.

The FlexOS study also showed that 60% of employees in Singapore say that when they work from home, they experience ‘Fear of Missing Out’ about what's happening in the office. For the 35-44 range, this number even goes up to 69%.

#Social #FlexOS #WorkCulture #HybridWork