A study carried out by Microsoft Argentina and the University of San Andrés showed how the pandemic has transformed the relationship with work. The results are consistent with the findings of the Work Trends Index previously carried out by Microsoft.
Despite the last bad years, optimism does not decline in Argentina. According to a study carried out by Microsoft Argentina with the University of San Andrés, 58% of the Argentines surveyed think that their quality of work-life will improve.
The study called “Future of work: the practices that the pandemic changed forever” (in Spanish: Futuro del trabajo: las prácticas que la pandemia cambió para siempre) analyzed the changes produced in the current context of remote work.
The study broke some myths, such as the idea that you work less when you work from home. It also identified some problems that arise from remote work. Six out of ten respondents said they felt a greater disconnection with their colleagues, while half of those surveyed said they were more disconnected from the organization.
Although half of the workers surveyed for the study assured that the quality of work-life is lower with remote work, 7 out of ten respondents feel more comfortable working virtually.
Greater productivity from home
The study smashed the myth that people work less from home. For some, the difficult thing is to stop working. Three out of four respondents said they worked more from home, while more than half felt more productive.
The challenges of working from home are related to team tasks. While disconnection with colleagues and with the company is a problem expressed by the respondents, about half also considered that the coordination of tasks and the resolution of conflicts is more complicated in a virtual environment.
Incorporation of communication tools
Many of the tools that have been key to working remotely already existed before the social distancing measures. However, most people did not use them.
Video conferencing tools have seen an obvious rise since the pandemic. Nine out of ten respondents claim to use them more than before. In second place are the chat tools: eight out of ten respondents say they use them more now.
Collaborative platforms, corporate social networks and email had a moderate increase in their use, according to respondents.
Prospects for the future of work
The experience of remote work in recent months brings up an obligatory question: is it really necessary to go to the office?
The hiring managers surveyed expressed plans to offer two and three days of remote work per week. Also, they also plan to incorporate a flexible scheme according to the needs of each work team.
Among the workers surveyed, the majority consider that the quality of life will improve with remote work and that they will be more productive. Half of those surveyed prefer remote work.
What challenges does remote work entail?
The main challenges of remote work are in avoiding burnout and improving soft skills in virtual environments, such as empathy, social bonding, and emotional distance.
However, most people are optimistic about these changes and believe that their quality of life will improve. The changes in the future will be aimed at finding a balance between the virtual and the face-to-face.