APAC: Essential Hybrid Work Statistics

Asia is the region that dominates the world's economy and has the potential to fuel and reshape the next normal. During the pandemic, organizations and employees in Asia realized the advantages of remote work. Most companies moved towards a hybrid work model, working partially in the office and partially remotely.

The hybrid work model offers employees the flexibility they desire while still giving them the perks of office life, such as the ability to interact with their managers, coworkers, and clients, which increases productivity and decreases turnover.

Now that employees have embraced the flexible work model and its benefits, they are rejecting a return to the office life and hustle culture. The increasing interest in hybrid work could make this working model the new baseline for many companies.

Hence, it is important to know what the future looks like in Asia and how organizations can respond to the latest developments. Here are some essential APAC hybrid work statistics that will help you understand the future of work in Asia.

General APAC Hybrid Work Statistics

The Economist Impact on a Global Hybrid Work Survey revealed that:

• Nearly 43% of people in APAC worked in a hybrid arrangement for the first time during the pandemic, which is a stark contrast to pre-pandemic days when 78% of people had zero remote workdays.
• Nearly 53% of people in APAC believe that increased employee productivity will be a significant benefit of a hybrid work model. In comparison, only 35% of people believe that flexible work will impact their physical environment and equipment.
• 70% said they wanted greater location flexibility, while 71% favored greater time flexibility, which is much higher than the companies are willing to provide.

Hybrid Work Statistics by Benefits

• The Cisco Global Hybrid Work Study 2022 surveyed 28,000 full-time employees across 27 markets and found that 65% of employees across ASEAN believed that their quality of work has improved while working hybrid, with 66% noting development in job-related skills and knowledge, while 64% indicating a productivity improvement.
• Regarding the social aspect, 86% of ASEAN respondents observed improvement in relationships with family and 55% for friends. 73% of the ASEAN employees reported saving more than 4 hours a week, while 32% saved over 8 hours. Going further, 65% were able to reinvest the extra time saved from unplanned office interactions and no commuting by spending it with friends and family, which improved their holistic well-being.
• Looking at the health aspect, more than half (60%) of employees noted improved physical well-being, with 79% exercising more, 78% feeling physically fit, and 77% feeling healthier. In terms of mental well-being, the study saw improved emotional well-being (59%), mental well-being (69%), and reduced stress levels (59%).

Hybrid Work Statistics by Employee Opinions

• According to a study conducted by Mercer's 2022 Global Trends, 7 in 10 employees across Asia have supported a shift to a hybrid work model. FlexOS also found that 1 in 2 (52%) of Singaporean employees say they would quit their job if there were no longer an option for flexible work.
• IDC says that more than 83% of employees report that the hybrid work model has made them more productive.
• Microsoft's Work Trend Index 2021 found that 49% of the employees have been somehow negatively affected by remote work settings (51% of the employees faced a lack of interaction with their colleagues, 27% reported facing noise negatively impact their quality of work, while 28% say that they could not collaborate or communicate effectively.
• According to research done by FlexOS, 92% 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 while doing hybrid work.

Hybrid Work Statistics by Employer Opinions  

• More than 85%of APAC organizations are encouraging hybrid work, while 70% of organizations have implemented a strategy to identify and deploy technology to facilitate both remote and office-based work.
• According to the 2021 Leadership Monitor Survey, 72% of APAC executives have greatly changed their leadership styles and company culture to become more inclusive during the pandemic.
• 82% of business decision-makers say that getting employees back to the office in person is their primary concern, while 28% of surveyed said that their organization is prepared for hybrid work.

Hybrid Work Statistics by Generation

According to Unisys Survey, 40% of the Asia Pacific employees prefer remote work, which is higher than Latin America (39%), Europe (35%), and North America (34%). Millennials showed the highest preference (47%), followed by baby boomers (18%).

• Younger generations, notably Gen X, is more interested in office work to connect with senior leadership (78% of Millennials & Gen Z Vs. 72% of Gen X and older).
• 64.2% of Millennials want office space for collaboration, while 61.5% want to use it for internal meetings and activities. On the other hand, over 40% of baby boomers and Gen X wants to have office space for client meetings.
• According to FlexOS's research, Gen Z (18-24) in Singapore wants to be in the office for on-the-job learning so they can get direct feedback.

Hybrid Work Trends & Predictions

• According to data collected during a new survey from Unisys Corporation, 64% of Asia Pacific organizations plan to change their operating model to hybrid by the end of 2022 to improve their employee experience.
• According to an Accenture study, 63% of high-revenue growth companies have enabled productivity anywhere workforce models. Every 7 in 10 organizations are now recruiting talent from allocations and allowing hybrid work arrangements as it opens doors for new talent from all around the world.
• The survey found that 5.2% of the workforce across Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and Australia worked remotely before the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic forced a rapid shift to hybrid work, with over 36% of the workforce going hybrid by November 2023.
• 45% of organizations in the Asia Pacific are increasing investments in emerging technologies, 43% in cybersecurity, and 41% in increasing the pace of digital innovation projects. Almost 57% of APAC leaders are planning to invest in technologies that can better measure productivity across a hybrid work environment and optimize their operations.

Conclusion

Asia was the first to feel the pandemic's impact and also the first to adopt a hybrid work culture. There is a shift in leadership mindsets in APAC organizations, which have learned how to maximize flexibility and well-being while maintaining productivity in a hybrid environment. As the world is getting out of the pandemic, businesses are opening up their offices again and settling into the new reality. The hybrid work model is here to stay, and APAC businesses must constantly experiment to ensure their workplace and employee experience strategies fit the current needs of the organization and the employees.

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