Hybrid working employees deliver nearly two extra weeks of work a year for their employer as well as working harder and better, according to a new study from global workplace consultancy AWA.
The results of the analysis — which shows the benefits of hybrid working for organizations — are a combination of academic research and studies by AWA itself. They are included in AWA’s latest report, Why Employers Benefit From Hybrid Working, which also found that employees often work better when in a distraction-free environment, with more than half their time dedicated to working alone or focused work.
The National Bureau of Economic Research, based in the United States, found that workers not going into an office save an average 72 minutes a day from not commuting. Of this time, they dedicate 28.8 minutes to additional work. AWA’s Hybrid Working Index, a global study conducted during October and November 2022, representing almost 250,000 employees across 220 offices in 33 countries, revealed that employees are working from home an average of 3.5 days a week.
“This would suggest that they work an additional 101 minutes, or 1.7 hours, a week. Over a typical working year of approximately 45 weeks, this would equate to 75.6 extra hours of work, or just over 9.5 days — that’s nearly two whole work weeks, assuming an eight hour day,” the report states.
Employers benefit from hybrid working because they get happier, more focused and more productive teams and can pay lower wages for flexibility while saving on office costs and CO2 emissions,” said Andrew Mawson, managing director of AWA. “We appreciate that the most senior leaders in businesses will need to change their approach to leadership, which for some will not be easy, but it is time for CEOs to embrace modern, flexible, hybrid working.”
As the report elaborates, empty space from dwindling occupancy would likely result in generating additional unwanted carbon by cooling and lighting unused areas. Research conducted by AWA indicates that the amount of CO2 emitted per worker could be reduced by as much as 37 per cent with the adoption of both hybrid working and smarter office management practices.
