Employees, particularly those who are parents of children aged 18 and under, have become accustomed to working from home over the past year. In order to gain insight into their experiences with remote work and to gain a better understanding of what their expectations are for the post-pandemic workplace, FlexJobs conducted a survey of more than 1,100 parents.
The following are the survey’s top takeaways:
Without remote employment, 62% of working parents would quit
pFor parents who are preparing to resume their in-office employment, there are two key considerations: the potential risk of Covid-19 infection and the impact that a return to the physical workplace might have on their personal lives. Working parents are willing to make sacrifices in order to continue working remotely, such as working longer hours, foregoing vacation time, and even accepting a salary reduction of up to 10%.
Fifty-one percent believe remote work boosts productivity
Remote employment offers parents the opportunity to work in an environment that is conducive to achieving success and productivity. Additionally, the flexibility of work hours provides the ability to more effectively manage both work and childcare responsibilities.
Remote employment saves money for 98% of respondents
Recent research has found that working from home has resulted in significant financial savings for working parents. Approximately twenty-one percent of those surveyed reported annual savings of approximately $10,000, while 33% and 22% reported annual savings of $3,900 and $2,000 respectively.
Sixty-six percent believe that remote employment will increase gender equality
In 2021, female labour force participation in the United States declined to its lowest rate in over three decades. Additionally, the novel coronavirus pandemic is projected to result in a loss of approximately $800 billion of income for women by the end of 2020. Working parents, however, have posited that the introduction of remote employment opportunities may help to improve gender equity.
