Hybrid work model much favoured by Indians: LinkedIn study

Study says one in three professionals suffer burnout on account of remote work; a good number of them believe working from home, full-time, would negatively impact their career

Cropped shot of unrcognizable man sitting on the couch, using laptop, browsing the web, drinking hot beverage. Working from home during self isolation period concept. Close up, copy space, background.

Last week, LinkedIn launched the ‘Future of Work’ perception study about remote work where 86% of the Indian professionals that were quizzed, plumped for a hybrid work model that would place the cubicle and the hearth on an equal footing, enabling the individual to give each its due.

Conducted by research firm Censuswide, the study gleaned the insights of 1,108 respondents who have worked from home during the pandemic due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The study grappled with the question of burnout resulting from remote work. It revealed that one in three Indian professionals suffer from the effects of increased workload (35%) and stress (34%) on account of working remotely.

Nearly 9 in 10 (86%) respondents think hybrid work positively impacts work-life balance, with 48% stating that it leaves them with enough time and energy to effectively focus on both.

A majority of Indian professionals — more than 7 in 10 (72%) respondents — think fully remote work would negatively impact their career growth. And 55% of them feel handicapped by the lack of sufficient opportunities for professional learnings due to two factors — “less face-time with bosses and leaders” (54%) and “it gets harder to learn from peers remotely” (34%).

The study further reveals that nearly half (46%) of India’s workforce is keen on being back in the cubicle, as they consider a workplace setting more conducive for productive work. Seven in ten (71%) respondents those clocking in work hours more from office are favoured by bosses.

The study shows that more than 9 in 10 (93%) professionals agree that working from home during the pandemic has positively impacted their physical health. Almost 3 in 5 (58%) professionals feel healthier, not eating as much takeaway food, while 1 in 2 (51%) found extra time to exercise more frequently when working remotely. In fact, 2 in 5 professionals say they want to work remotely going forward because it allows them to ‘choose work hours and location” (42%), and “spend more time with their loved ones” (39%).

Using the hashtag #FindTheBalance , the community on LinkedIn has also sparked conversations on how they feel and how they are finding the balance in this remote-work scenario.