Leading real estate consulting firm, CBS International, conducted a survey on “Traditional Office vs. Working from Home in Changed Business Circumstances.” The study was done among 250 domestic and international companies active in Serbia.
Since the World Health Organization announced the COVID 19 pandemic, the way of life, as well as the business system, has completely changed all over the world. Although the isolation period has recently ended, it is quite certain that the previous period will affect many segments of our life. So say the results of the extensive survey recently conducted by CBS International.
The research confirmed that of all the companies surveyed during the pandemic, only 5% worked in a full-time office, while 69% of the companies organized work from home for employees, while the rest combined these two possibilities.
WORKING FROM HOME ADVANTAGES
The data collected showed that 40% of companies saw the most significant advantages of working from home were increased safety and a flexible work schedule, which allowed employees to organize daily routines according to their needs.
Higher productivity and time savings when traveling to and from work were also seen as favorable aspects.
THE DOWNSIDE
On the other hand, although time spent with the family was seen as an advantage, 17% of respondents confirmed that it was a great challenge for them because different activities and obligations with children were leading them to reduced work efficiency.
As the biggest downside to working from home, one-third of the respondents complained about the lack of personal contacts and interaction with colleagues. Isolation was leading to a slower flow of information due to no face-to-face contact with team members. As a result, nearly 50 percent of survey participants conducted online meetings with colleagues several times a day.
IS WORKING FROM HOME A NEW TREND?
The survey showed that more than half of the companies will continue to take advantage of the positive aspects of working from home even now after lockdown. After this experience, they will implement certain changes in how they will organize their team. Some of them will include reorganizing their time and space, adding flexible hours, offering work from home for a few days or months, as well as replacing meetings with occasional conference calls.
Companies that plan to implement these changes expect increased team efficiency compared to the traditional way of working in the office. They believe it will lead to higher employee loyalty to the company, and that it will be attractive to young educated people who see the benefits in this style of working.
ABOUT CBS INTERNATIONAL
Leading real estate consulting firm CBS International is part of the Cushman & Wakefield Group, one of the world’s largest real estate consulting firms, with over 53,000 employees in more than 60 countries, with revenue of $8.8 billion generated in 2019.
As a regional leader, CBS International has entered the second decade of operation in the real estate market in Serbia with flawless results. The company covers a wide range of integrated services: real estate valuation and development consulting, renting and selling office and retail space, renting and selling residential space, renting and selling sales of industrial facilities, land sales, market research, project management, marketing, real estate management and maintenance.
