Hybrid working reaches an optimal point – with the office still central

Shanghai, Aug 11, 2022 – As employee expectations and current workstyles reaching an equilibrium, hybrid working has become a permanent element of the future of work, especially after the COVID disruption. JLL’s latest global survey of employee expectations – the Workplace Barometer Survey – has found that more than 80% of the Chinese respondents expressed their preference to work in a hybrid style, while 71% recognize office as pivotal to this new hybrid routine. 

The survey results in March 2022 of over 4,000 office workers across 10 countries (300 in China) found that hybrid working has become a global trend accelerated by COVID disruption. Hybrid working has reached an “optimal point’’, with 60% of office workers wanting to work in a hybrid style and 55% are doing so already.

The Chinese results showed that 70% of office workers expect to work from the office at least one day a week, slightly lower than the global result of 76%. But only 9% of respondents reported they expected to work full time in the office, while 22% expected to work fully remotely. Interestingly other than home and office, 76% of Chinese employees expect to work in third place at least once a week, which is far above the global rate of 40%.

The ideal hybrid working mode for Chinese employees is 2.2 days working from the office, 1.1 working from a third working place, and 1.7 days working from home. However, while working remotely, 59% of respondents reported that they miss human interactions and socializing with colleagues, 57% miss having access to everything they need to work, and 51% miss collective face to-face-work.

“While expecting the flexibility of hybrid working, 71% of Chinese employees think the office will remain central to their working life. In this context, the long-term success of hybrid work will require smart piloting of remote and office work to ensure that team members can synchronize at some point in their new hybrid journeys. It will also depend on better technology support and strong managerial coordination.” says Truddy Cheung, Head of Consulting, Work Dynamics, North Asia.

When talking about workplace expectations, Chinese employees like places that are well digitally connected and promote diversity and equity. A good work environment shall have a workplace app to book everything, provide free coaching to promote health and reduce stress, and provide green benefits.

“Quality of life and health, wellbeing as well as collaborative working atmosphere have become the top priorities for office workers, especially for generation Z. It is the key to attracting and retaining talents. Hybrid has created a pivotal moment for employers to learn and carefully consider the expectations of employees, and seize the opportunity of transformation of workplace and work style. It is time that employers redesign and implement the workplace strategy in accordance with business development, in order to shape and encourage new working cultures and collaboration and dynamics between colleagues.” says Ronnie Yin, Head of Sales, Work Dynamics, China.

Click here to download JLL’s Workplace Barometer Survey 2022