74% of Indian workers back more flexible work options: MS Work Trend Index

Nearly 73% of business decision makers are considering redesigning physical spaces to better accommodate hybrid work environments

The indication is clear: extreme flexibility and hybrid work will define the post-pandemic workplace. Nearly three-fourths (74%) of Indian employees say they want more flexible remote work options, while at the same time, 73% of them also crave more in-person time with their teams. To prepare, 73% of business decision makers are considering redesigning physical spaces to better accommodate hybrid work environments.

These were the findings of Microsoft India’s country-specific insights of its first annual Work Trend Index, which reveals challenges, expectations, and motivations that will shape the future of work in India.

Rajiv Sodhi, COO, Microsoft India, said, “If we have learnt one thing in the last year, it’s that we are no longer bound to traditional notions of space and time when it comes to how, when, and where we work. The Work Trend Index findings attest that remote work has created new opportunities but there are challenges ahead as well. As every organisation fundamentally reimagines itself for the hybrid work era, we are collectively learning and innovating on how we will shape the future of work in India. It’s time to embrace work as a frame of mind, not a place you go.”

The survey found that work became more human and authentic, as coworkers leaned on each other in new ways to get through the last year. One among four (24%) Indian employees has cried with a colleague and 35% people are less likely to feel embarrassed now when their home lives show up at work.

People who interacted with their coworkers more closely than before experienced stronger work relationships, reported higher productivity and better overall well-being. The genuine interactions with coworkers are helping to foster a workplace where 63% of Indian workers said they are more likely to be their full, authentic selves at work, said the survey.

But there are challenges too. Digital overload is real and rising. Self-assessed productivity has remained the same or higher for many employees over the past year, but at a human cost. Nearly 62% of the Indian workforce says companies are asking too much of them at a time like this and 13% say their employer doesn’t care about their work-life balance. More than half (57%) of Indian employees feel overworked and 32% feel exhausted.

The digital intensity of workers’ days has increased substantially in the last year. The time spent in Microsoft Teams meetings has more than doubled (2.5X) globally, 62% of Teams calls and meetings are unscheduled or conducted ad hoc and the average Teams meeting is 10 minutes longer, up from 35 to 45 minutes year-over-year. The average Teams user is sending 45% more chats per week and 42% more chats per person after hours. And despite meeting and chat overload, 50% of people respond to Teams chats within five minutes or less.

“Our Work Trend Index research indicates that almost 62% of India’s workforce (including 51% of Gen Z employees) want to switch jobs this year. An organisation’s approach to hybrid work will ultimately impact who stays, who goes, and who seeks to join the company,” said Sodhi in his blog.

India’s first generation of digital natives, or Gen Z, appears to be suffering and needs to be re-energised. Nearly 71% of this generation — those between the ages of 18 and 25 — say they are merely surviving or flat-out struggling. Survey respondents reported that they were more likely to struggle balancing work with life and feel exhausted after a typical day of work when compared to older generations.

Gen Z also reported more difficulty feeling engaged or excited about work, getting a word in during meetings, and bringing new ideas to the table when compared to other generations.

Workplace networks are shrinking. Between April 2020 and February 2021, the number of people sending chats posted in a Teams channel — designed to include the whole team — decreased by 5 per cent. In contrast, the number of people sending small group or one-on-one chats increased by 87 per cent.