Latin America. A study conducted by WeWork identified the demand for hybrid models by employees for work in offices in Latin America and what people expect in a post-pandemic world of work.
The study "Redefining work models in Latin America", with the support of the Brazilian firm HSM and Egon Zehnder, yields specific results on the behavior and new demands of employees in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico.
Main findings on collaborators in Latin America:
- In Latin America people want to meet again. 81% of respondents consider the hybrid model as the ideal model for the post-pandemic labor market. Ideally they want to see each other in the office for 2 to 3 days.
- The office of the future is not limited to four walls. 52% of executives believe that the office of the future is not a single place, but a network of spaces and services.
- Face-to-face is more relevant than ever. 75% consider that the integration between areas and employees is a benefit of face-to-face activities.
- In the big cities of Latin America we do not want to waste more time in traffic. 99% agree that saving travel time is the main advantage of remote work
- During the months of confinement we lost our ability to have meaningful spontaneous encounters. 70% missed the interaction with teammates and team leaders during the mandatory lockdown.
Beyond understanding, based on the data, what various groups of collaborators expect from the post-pandemic era, it is necessary to stop along the way and understand the depth of the changes we are experiencing. Space will play a preponderant role in the development of people and companies, but in very different ways from what we knew. The workspace will become the change agent and the unifying element of the company.
From now on the encounters will be more intentional than spontaneous, but more significant. Leaders must take an exemplary role to create egalitarian situations in hybrid work teams that ensure equal conditions for all, remote teams and face-to-face teams.
Different from what we thought, people want to return, but they want to return with a very clear purpose: to establish bonds of trust that lay the foundation for a successful professional career.
Faced with this maelstrom of alternatives it is necessary to review the definition of remote work, where remote is not synonymous with home, nor home office, remote work invites productivity and concentration; and for this a properly equipped space, without distractions, with natural lighting and with good internet connection is vital. For this there are new and better flexible spaces that adapt to the specific needs of each employee and company.
Mexico
80% of Mexican workers want to go to the office between two and three days a week.
- 85% of Mexican employees point to the hybrid model as the ideal in the post-pandemic era. 10% prefer remote work and the remaining 5% face-to-face
- 95% highlight that the loss of time on the move is considered the main disadvantage of face-to-face work.
- 70% of Mexican workers point to integration between areas as the main advantage of face-to-face work, followed by the ease of exchanging ideas, information and starting creative processes (52%).
Argentina
- 30% of employees have access to this hybrid work format.
87% of workers feel safe to return to the office to work after doing so remotely.
- 66% of respondents in Argentina say they feel safe to return to the office, taking into account spaces with high security protocols, use of masks and social distancing.
When asking respondents about the advantages they find in the remote work model, the majority state that the main one is the reduction of travel time (70%), followed by the reduction of operating costs such as office rental, maintenance, cleaning (53%) and better time management (45%).
Chile
- In Chile, only 40% of workers have access to this hybrid work format within their companies.
- 38% of employees are concerned about the distractions and interruptions that occur when working while in person in the office.
- 35% of respondents in Chile say that they would like their companies to be able to offer them the possibility of opting for an option to work from a shared workspace.
- 77% of respondents in Chile say that the main disadvantage of traditional/face-to-face work models is the loss of travel time and travel.
Brazil
- In Brazil, only 52% of workers have access to this hybrid work format within their companies.
- 47% of employees are concerned about the distractions and interruptions that occur when working in the office, with this country being the most affected by interruptions.
75% of respondents feel confident returning to the office to work after doing so remotely.
22% of companies in Brazil moved to a smaller, smaller space for their employees.
- In Brazil, data indicate that commercial and legal areas are the most willing to pay for an office out of their own pocket, possibly indicating a greater need for formal face-to-face meetings with clients than other areas.
Colombia
- In Colombia only 54% have access to this hybrid work format within their companies.
- 82% of Colombian respondents for this study, including assistants, coordinators, directors, managers, founding partners; among others, both small and medium and large companies in Colombia, affirm that the hybrid work model is the ideal one to return to the offices in the new post-pandemic era. This is supported by biosecurity measures, as 81% of respondents also say they feel safe to return to the office taking into account spaces with high security protocols, the use of masks and distancing.
- 33% said that the companies where they work have not adopted, nor planned any policy of additional remuneration for working from home or coworking.
- 42% of companies with more than 1,000 employees say that the main advantage offered by the face-to-face work model is the integration between areas and employees.
Finally, we can say that thanks to the results of this study we know that in WeWork we must stay ahead of the curve with new work models, leaving aside traditional systems. Hybrid work models are ideal for our employees to find a balance between their work and their life, as well as finding many other benefits such as reducing travel, which have a better management of their time without neglecting the integration with other collaborators.
Finally, this study points out the importance of innovation in work systems, always keeping up to date about the models that bring great benefits to companies and their employees.
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