As of June 2020, at least 42 percent of the U.S workforce are working remotely, full time. Other Western nations such as Australia are seeing 32% working from home, almost 70% of Indian workers cite increased productivity from home, and across the globe workers are calling for ongoing flexibility in their work arrangements.

Major organizations such as Apple predict permanent work-from-home in the future, and when you consider that leading global employers such as Cisco and Google have long-term remote working conditions extending into at least 2021, it’s important to consider your work conditions post-COVID.

At Patona, we’ve surveyed an extensive pool of Patona employees to clarify company feelings around remote-working during the pandemic, and our employees’ expectations in a post-COVID world.

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Overall, how happy are you with the idea of working remotely?

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If we enabled remote work after COVID-19, how often would you come to the office?

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From the results, our two major takeaways were that:

• Patona staff are overwhelmingly in favor of work-from-home
• Practically no one wants to return to the office full-time

Our employees have largely touted a reduced amount of commute stress, improved financial savings, improved work-life balance, and freedom-in-location as the major practical benefits of working remotely.

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All of these are significant stress reducers, and when you consider the impact of stress on productivity, work-from-home has been a major benefit and relief to the Patona family at large.

While it’s easy to look at the increasing demand for work-from-home as a potential detriment to productivity, the research and data actually indicate the reverse. According to Gallup, people are their most productive when working at home between three to four days a week. 

Patona can confidently boast improved performance and productivity across the board during work-from-home. Not only did our survey confirm this, but is also revealed some world-leading statistics on employee satisfaction and retention, with an average 80%+ satisfaction rate among staff! See below:

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How likely are you to recommend Patona to a friend as a place to work?

91.8%

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How do you rate working for Patona and its customers?

92%

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How likely are you to still be working for Patona in 12 months time

92.3%

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Do you feel like a valued member of your customer's team?

81.6%

Any successful services business knows the importance of building and maintaining a great culture, full of talented people. While it’s crucial to ensure that the work is done to a high standard, it’s just as important to know that your staff are treated & valued as a proud member of the family. 

A core purpose of Patona’s culture is building a network of valued, talented people. People that are driven and always looking to build and provide value for themselves and Patona clients.

While working remotely, it can be hard to maintain the spirit and community needed for this. But again, our staff survey found world-leading statistics that demonstrate Patona’s unified commitment to talent and self-value:

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How important is being challenged/learning new skills in your role?

We couldn’t be happier with each and every member of the Patona family during COVID-19. If the challenges of this year have revealed anything, it’s a need for change. The crew at Patona sees this as a time where the role of “the office” is being redefined.

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While most offices have been sitting empty for going on 8 months now, it’s still unclear as to when and how they will be used again. Whether offices go back to full-time work locations or a simple communal space for the company, the shape and role of the post-COVID office will depend on the needs of employers and their workforce.

Patona has made some proactive decisions in preparation for this. Moving forward our cultures and policies will aim to provide flexibility and exciting, communal spaces via the following changes:

• A remote-working policy, enabling people with the choice and flexibility to decide their work location(s).‍
• Less permanent desk-spaces and more collaborative workspaces‍
• New office design with a cafe-style layout, hot desks, cool hangout spaces and room for collaborative events!‍
• Regular team-building events, such as yoga, virtual escape-room challenges, and on-site Friday meetings.‍
• Welcome pack & buddy system for new employees; designed to introduce new staff to the Patona family, and ensure they are equipped to meet the challenge of starting remotely. This includes partnering up with a buddy in the business, and making sure they feel welcomed and a part of the team while they learn about the business!‍
• A work-from-home budget for all employees; designed to equip staff with a comfortable and very capable work-from-home environment.

Regarding our work from home budget, this involves a company-funded allowance that all employees can use to purchase items and equipment such as an internet router, a secondary internet connection, additional monitors, soundproof headsets, desks, and chairs.

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In addition to making sure all workers are equipped with the essentials, Patona staff can expect swag-packages, desk-plants, and ongoing discussion to ensure that the home workspace is a comfortable and fun place to be.

We’re excited about all of the above changes. The surveyees voiced their needs and we’ve heard them! Moving into 2021, we’re eager to foster a flexible work culture that enables our staff to work at home and feel their total best.