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As the business landscape resumes, older professionals appear keen on stepping out into the post-Covid-19 world while younger professionals are not rushing to embrace it, according to the sixth edition of LinkedIn Workforce Confidence Index released on Tuesday.
Findings reaffirm this difference in perception as 38 per cent of Gen X (between 40 and 54 years) and 29 per cent of Baby Boomers (55 years old or more) said they will willingly return to the workplace as soon as they are allowed, whereas 20 per cent Gen Z (less than 25 years old) and 32 per cent Millennials (between 25 and 39 years old) said they will continue working remotely until they feel safer about being around others.
One reason for this is younger workers are adept in using digital means of communication. Senior professionals may find it challenging to hire and manage the performance of remote teams. Hence, varying levels of digital prowess could be one of the reasons behind such contrasting outlooks from different generations.
The findings are based on survey responses of 1,351 professionals in India during the fortnight of June 1 to 14.
While the nationwide lockdown is gradually being lifted, the stigma around Covid-19 prevails due to uncertainty around safety measures. Findings show that more than half (55 per cent) of Indian professionals think being exposed to people neglecting safety precautions is a key concern.
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About 58 per cent of Millennials and 56 per cent of Gen X professionals are shown being concerned about the same problem. Findings highlight that 42 per cent Millennials are concerned about commuting to work while nearly half (46 per cent) are worried about eating and sharing resting or collaborative spaces.
The report also shows that inadequate space between workstations is cited as another primary concern with returning to work as it could make it tough for professionals to practice healthy measures of social distancing.
Survey findings also show that 50 per cent of corporate services professionals, 46 per cent of manufacturing professionals and 41 per cent of education professionals think their companies will be better off six months from now.
When it comes to long-term employer confidence, findings show that 64 per cent of manufacturing, 60 per cent of corporate services and 59 per cent of software & IT professionals believe their companies will be better off one year from now.
India's workforce is also beginning to feel more confident about their personal finances as one in four professionals expect their earned incomes (25 per cent) and personal spending (26 per cent) to increase in the next six months.
In fact, about one in three professionals also expect their personal savings (31 per cent) and personal recurring debt payments (29 per cent) to increase in the next six months. This financial confidence comes at a time when India's economy is gradually restarting.
