Work looks different for everyone; there is no “one size fits all” solution for the best way to get work done. However, according to a recent Zoom and Morning Consult survey of 4,000 knowledge workers on workplace preferences, there is one thing workers agree on: flexibility, and having control over how you spend your time, matters.
Flexible work is no longer a perk — it’s an expectation
Many knowledge workers have started to view flexible work – the ability to work during the hours and at a preferred location that are most productive for oneself – as a must-have. In fact, on average, 43% of knowledge workers (across all countries surveyed) say flexible work is a basic expectation.
The results suggest that flexible hours and schedules were of utmost importance when it comes to workplace benefits, outweighing other well-established perks like professional development opportunities and childcare resources.
Time is a unifying factor across generations
Time and how it’s spent matters to all generations. Of those surveyed in the U.S., all generations showed a strong preference for flexible hours over any other workplace perk:
• 79% of Gen Z and Younger Millennials (under 30) prefer flexible hours to any other workplace perk
• 72% of Millennials prefer flexible hours to any other workplace perk
• 69% of Gen X prefer flexible hours to any other workplace perk
• 69% of Boomers prefer flexible hours to any other workplace perk
These survey findings suggest the classic 9-5 model is no longer considered an effective way to work – no matter the stage of life the employee is in. Rather, employees prefer to manage their own efficiency and time, determining how they work best while still meeting their employers’ expectations.
Zoom-enabled flexibility
With Zoom, organizations can implement the best tools to enable a hybrid workforce. Whether employees work in an office, remotely, or a combination of both, Zoom’s all-in-one collaboration platform allows businesses to focus on productivity and efficiency while allowing employees the flexibility to work when, how, and where they are most productive without compromising the quality of work or collaboration.
Zoom makes it easy for workers to improve the use of their time, whether it’s using Zoom Team Chat to catch up with team members at a convenient time that works best, no matter the location, or Zoom Phone to take meetings on the go. Zoom Whiteboard also allows distributed employees to brainstorm ideas across time zones and asynchronously, while Zoom IQ meeting summary leverages Zoom’s own large language models to create a summary of the conversation and next steps for those who can’t attend, without needing to record the meeting. With Zoom, employees are able to find a balance between work, home, hobbies, and wellness, leading them to live happier lives and in turn, providing companies with an important culture dividend – happy employees.
Methodology:
This survey was conducted among 4,000 Knowledge Workers across the following markets: US, UK, DE, AU, SG. Knowledge workers were defined as clerical workers who have a full-time job in the private sector, in government, or in the non-profit sector.
This survey was fielded among those in the US, UK, DE, AU, SG from February 3– 24, 2023. Data in this survey were weighted to match an approximate proportion of knowledge workers per country. The margin of error for this study is +/- 2% for all countries, +/- 3% for the US, UK, and DE, and +/- 4% for AU and SG. The margin of error is smaller within subgroups.