A whopping 83.2 percent of New Zealand employees say the ability to work from anywhere has made them happier, according to new research.
The study was commissioned by technology company Cisco and conducted in early 2022 after the COVID-19 pandemic saw a dramatic increase in people working remotely.
Its findings also include 63.2 percent of Kiwis believing their productivity has increased and 79.9 percent claiming to have saved money while working from home, with the average estimate $13,000 in annual savings.
There were 28,000 people surveyed for the global study, with 1026 from New Zealand said to well represent the country's population.
Cisco said businesses have benefited from higher employee productivity thanks to hybrid work and 61.3 percent of New Zealand respondents in the survey believed their quality of work has improved, among other benefits.
Many Kiwis said they spend more time with family, friends and pets thanks to time saved through hybrid work, while over three quarters claimed to exercise more when they work remotely.
"With the evident benefits of hybrid working, going back to the old ways of doing things is not an option for employees or for those companies serious about competing for the best talent," Cisco said in its report.
"However, while the vast majority feel hybrid work arrangements have benefitted them, with only around one in four employees saying their company is 'very prepared' for a hybrid work future, there is much work still to be done to fully embed hybrid work arrangements and bring employers to the same readiness levels."
More results from the research into hybrid work can be found on Cisco's website.
