Nearly seven in 10 workers say they would prefer to work in an office most days, and only 5 percent said they would prefer to work from home 100 percent of the time.

 Seventy-three percent of respondents in the UAE, a higher figure than any other country surveyed, said they were able to work remotely, but 68 percent said they would prefer to work in an office all the time or most days.                                                  

For half of the people surveyed by the digital consultancy, the fear of contracting COVID-19 was their main concern about returning to the office, with 51 percent saying that the availability of a vaccine would allay these fears. 

Only 12 percent of those surveyed have a room in their home designated as an office, but 67 percent have been able to carve out a consistent, dedicated workspace. More than half (54 percent) think companies provide wellness services to make remote working a better experience.

Meanwhile, 85 percent of parents have taken steps towards helping their children with remote learning, including reducing their work hours and adjusting work schedules. As a result, 75 percent of parents are experiencing moderate-to-great levels of stress related to online learning, more so than the children themselves. 

Teresa Barreira, CMO of Publicis Sapient, commented, “The global workforce is settling into the work-from-home normal; most are desiring more flexibility once offices reopen.”  

“Returning to the office will be largely dependent on the widespread distribution of a trusted vaccine. Until then, parents and caregivers will have to find ways to cope with increased responsibility for dependents learning at home,” she added.

(Writing by Imogen Lillywhite; editing by Seban Scaria)

(imogen.lillywhite@refinitiv.com)

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