51 % employees prefer hybrid work reveals Godrej Interio’s study

· Employees are ready to act for flexible work options with 39% workforce being ready to negotiate with employers and 24% willing to switch jobs

· 32% workforce prefer at least 3 days of ‘Work From Home’ while only 19% prefer at least 3 days of work from office

Mumbai, April 27 2022: Godrej & Boyce, the flagship company of the Godrej Group, announced that its business Godrej Interio, India’s leading furniture solutions brand, in home and institutional segments, has revealed further findings from their exclusive study ‘Home, Office and Beyond’. The study revealed that while there are advocates for a total return to office and those for remote work, the rest seem to want a bit of both worlds. The survey found distinct employee personas emerging with varying preferences according to age, work experience, and gender, highlighting how different genders need different forms of support from their workplace and have different expectations from their employers. A total of 350 office-going employees participated in the research, most of them, working for MNCs and Indian corporates.

According to the research study, work-life balance tops the list of benefits offered by a hybrid work schedule, demonstrating yet again the importance for flexibility and wellness to knowledge workers today. The key benefits of hybrid work as per the study are 23% male and 28% female citing ‘work-life balance’, 20% male and 28% female opting ‘saving commute time’, 12% male and 11% female mentioning ‘time with family’ and 14% male and 11% female citing ‘improved work performance’.

The study also reveals that employees are ready to act for flexible work options with 39% ready to negotiate with employers, 24 % willing to switch jobs, 14% in favour of moving locations and 13% agreeing to take a 10% salary cut.

Sameer Joshi, Vice President, Marketing (B2B), Godrej Interio said: “The past two years have taught us to look to the future with hope and a renewed sense of purpose and meaning. The future of work is one which empowers employees and organisations to thrive, regardless of their location. The study conducted by Godrej Interio’s Ergonomics and Workplace research cell suggests that organisations use the workplace to reinforce their culture and brand. Well-lit interiors with planters and standing desks focus on employee health and wellbeing. Modular workspaces using moveable furniture can support innovation and creativity. This research study aims to help companies design relevant return to office policies to reduce stress, improve employee engagement, improve team collaboration, as well as decrease employee attrition. At Godrej Interio, we are seeing demand for more collaborative furniture in the office space and are looking to grow the segment by 25% in this financial year.”

He further added, “Perceiving employees as individuals with varying needs instead of overarching ‘workers’ while keeping empathy at the centre, is key to designing the workplace of the future. A flexible work model has become a vital tool for attracting and retaining talent across industries. Therefore, instituting policies that support a mixed presence of employees creates an equal arena no matter where the employees are located, is the way forward.”