Hybrid working improved overall well-being of employees in India: Cisco study

The study found that remote-working helped improve family relationships for some 90% of respondents. | Photo Credit: K.R. DEEPAK

Bengaluru Hybrid working has improved the overall well-being – financial, physical, social, emotional and mental, according to 91% of Indian employees who participated in a global study conducted by Cisco.

About 90% of respondents in the country said hybrid working made them happier, while 89% of employees felt time away from the office had improved their work-life balance. Some 71% of them could save at least 4 hours per week when they worked from home, and more than 35% saved eight or more hours a week.

A majority of them felt that a flexible work schedule and significantly reduced commuting time contributed to an overall improvement in work-life balance, as per the study.

Remote working had saved money for some 92% of the workers surveyed. Of this, 27% saved less than $50; 37% saved up to $150; 26% saved up to $300; 8% saved up to $500; and 2% saved over $500 in the last 12 months, according to the study.

In terms of physical well-being, some 72% of Indian employees said hybrid working improved their physical well-being; 82% felt hybrid working had improved their eating habits; 86% agreed that hybrid working had helped them exercise more, and 81% of them believed hybrid working had made them physically fitter.

The study found that remote-working helped improve family relationships for some 90% of respondents, 72% even reported hybrid working had strengthened relationships with friends, and 77% reported better self-esteem and confidence.

Most importantly, 80% of Indian respondents said hybrid working had improved their mental well-being and 70% said the flexibility at work improved their emotional well-being.

“It is clear that hybrid working is here to stay, and for good reason as employees and businesses alike see tangible benefits across key indicators – from improved overall employee wellbeing to better productivity and work performance,” said Anupam Trehan, People & Communities Leader, Cisco APJC.

As many as 1,000 employees from India were part of this study conducted by Cisco to understand how hybrid working helped improve employee wellbeing, work-life balance, and performance worldwide.

However, only one in four, of the total 28,000 employees from 27 countries, believed that their employers were ‘very prepared’ for a hybrid work future.