Remote working to accelerate in coming years, study finds

One of the main reasons for this shift is the global outbreak of Covid-19, which forced organisations to allow their employees to work remotely.

According to a Bayt.com poll, nine in 10 Mena professionals expect remote work to increase over the next few years. In addition, 89 per cent of respondents believe that companies will start favoring employees who can carry out their jobs independently and remotely. The 'Remote Work in the MENA' poll, also revealed that 74 per cent of professionals prefer jobs that allow them to work remotely.

According to the poll respondents, remote work offers employees a variety of benefits including flexible working hours, increased productivity, possibility of saving on transportation, food and other expenses, and increased quality time with family.

Ola Haddad, director of Human Resources at Bayt.com, said: "The recent shift towards remote work has radically changed the way most Mena businesses operate. Post pandemic, many companies will likely continue offering flexible and remote work to save money and boost employee morale."

As Mena enterprises enable remote work at scale for a majority of their workforce, most companies have ensured that employees have seamless access to their workplace apps in the device they carry, and that they develop meaningful relationships digitally. The poll found that 87 per cent of respondents said that they have all the resources and tools they need to carry out their job remotely.

Interestingly, 50 per cent of professionals believe that there's more room for professional growth while working remotely, and 21 per cent said professional growth is not impacted by work arrangements. According to 89 per cent of the survey respondents, Mena companies will start favoring employees who can carry out their jobs independently and remotely.