The Covid-19 pandemic was horrific, and forced a number of societal changes that still remain with us to this day. In the workplace, companies and staff are still figuring out if the now common arrangement of splitting their working operations between the office and the home is good for business and our wellbeing. While we never want to see another outbreak, we do want to know if we are benefitting from this new lifestyle that has been undertaken and continued by so many of us. Fortunately, a new study says that you can get to grips with both your work and the weights in a hybrid way.
How was the study carried out?
Researchers working on behalf of The International Workplace Group surveyed more than 1,000 hybrid workers in the United Kingdom to find out how the arrangement impacts each individuals life and work balance.
What were the results?
According to The Guardian, who were provided with, and published IWG’s results, data showed that the benefits of hybrid were pretty sweet: (note – I cannot find the actual study url, I guess it was provided to The Guardian internally so let’s just source them direct rather than the study itself as this makes them responsible for the figures.)
- 79% said they were less drained
- 68% of employees said they were getting better quality of sleep
- 68% said they felt healthier overall
- 58% said they were eating healthier when working
- 54% said they were able to do more exercise
The extra time generated by dropping several commutes each week allowed individuals to take better care of themselves and yet productivity appeared to be maintained because 78% employees said they were less stressed and 72% were less anxious as a result of the hybrid arrangement. The survey highlighted that around three in every four hybrid workers felt that they were more productive (74%) and more motivated (76%) thanks to splitting their week.
“This research highlights a whole host of employee health benefits, from better sleep to more time for exercise,” IWG CEO Mark Dixon told The Guardian. “More flexibility in working patterns and reduced commuting time has enabled workers to focus on improving their physical and mental health.” Well, less time on the train and more time training certainly works for us!