Around 69 percent of employees stated that they would prefer to work at least three days from the office, and around 75 percent prefer a one-way commute time of not more than 30 minutes, according to a report on work trends by real estate consultancy CBRE.
The survey, which comprised 20,000 respondents, found that the preference for working in an office under the hybrid working model is expected to rise to 78 percent from 67 percent in India. It also found that Indians are more flexible towards relocating compared to their global counterparts.
“The survey revealed that 44 percent of respondents display a stronger intention to move to a new home in the next two years compared to 31 percent in 2022. It is significantly higher when compared with both global and APAC respondents,” the report titled ‘Voices from India: How will people live, work and shop in the future?’ found.
Hybrid office space
The report said that the preference for working in an office under the hybrid working model is likely to increase from the current 67 percent to 78 percent in the future in the country. It is in line with global and Asia-Pacific (APAC) trends.
The APAC market includes East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania, along with 20 countries, including China, India and Indonesia.
Further, 50 percent of workers from both sets placed importance on workplace services and amenities. Hybrid workers also place higher importance on when and where they can work while considering a new job.
About 39 percent of respondents prefer hybrid/remote working patterns in the country as their physical presence was not required according to their roles. The survey found that this was also due to their responsibilities and their reluctance to commute.
“The survey indicates that the majority of respondents prefer workplace quality and focus space for them at the office, while especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, health and wellness have become an important factor for them to consider for frequent office visits. In addition, technology, space design, location, services and amenities have become desirable factors for employees at work,” Anshuman Magazine, Chairman & CEO - India, South-East Asia, Middle East & Africa, CBRE, added.
Flexi home space
The survey also highlighted that of those planning to move more than 70 percent prefer buying a house instead of renting one. “While India has always been an economy where home buying is preferred over renting, the uncertainty around the Covid-19 pandemic has further accelerated the need for homeownership and security,” the CARE study found.
With the pandemic emphasising the importance of health and safety, there has been an increase in demand for professional property management services, particularly in apartment buildings.
As hybrid working becomes more common, there is also a growing demand for dedicated office space at home, the survey added.
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