Many Businesses See Hybrid Work Continuing After Pandemic

(Bloomberg) -- Many businesses around the world expect employees to continue to work from home beyond the pandemic, according to a new report commissioned by Zoom Video Communications Inc.

The study, conducted by Boston Consulting Group, found that a majority of businesses in five countries are considering a flexible remote-work model because of the successful use of video conferencing during the pandemic, and many expect a significant chunk of their workforce to continue to work remotely. In the U.S., 39% of businesses anticipate more than a third of their employees will work remotely after Covid-19 infections wane, which was the lowest response of any of the six countries surveyed. Companies surveyed in India were the most keen to keep work-from-home setups, with 47% saying the same. Responses in the U.K., France, Germany, and Japan were all above 40%.

As vaccines are administered across the country, and pandemic restrictions loosen, companies are trying to chart a path forward. Last week, Ford Motor Co. told more than 30,000 employees that they can continue to work from home and use the office only when needed. Many firms in the financial industry are signaling they prefer a full return to the office. Other companies, like Macy’s Inc., are still grappling with what to do. The retailer won’t decide until later in the year. In the report by Zoom, some 65% of surveyed U.S. companies said they were considering a “flexible remote working model.”

Even for companies that return to the office, many expect to continue to use video conferencing tools. More than 70% of businesses surveyed in each country said that software like Zoom or Microsoft Corp.’s Teams will continue to be essential to operations beyond the pandemic.

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