Number of Home Office Workers in Brazil Falls From 71 to 52 Percent in One Month

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The number of people working from home during the pandemic has greatly decreased over the past month across Brazil.

According to a survey of 1,000 Ticket Restaurant and Ticket Food users, between August 4th and 20th, 52 percent said they were working from home. The rate in July had reached 71 percent. And the projection is that return to work in offices will increase in the coming weeks.

This is the fifth round of surveys by Ticket since the start of the pandemic. This latest edition points out that among the main measures companies have implemented to restart office activities are the scheduling of days and times worked (13 percent), schedule flexibility (11 percent), change of layout (ten percent) and the reduction of training and in-person meetings (ten percent).

The interdiction of attendance at in-person events (nine percent) and the offer of new alternatives for displacement (five percent), were also mentioned. The resumption process design plan has not yet been notified by companies to 24 percent of respondents. From the workers’ perspective, the main advantage of returning to the office is the improved control over working hours (52 percent).

The maintenance of the home office until the end of 2020 is an option for only nine percent of companies where poll respondents work. Regarding investments for the return of on-site activities, 51 percent of workers said they would like to go back to their offices, 32 percent want to remain in the home office system and 19 percent are still indecisive on the subject.

Among the aspects that lead some workers to yearn for a return to the work routine outside their homes, are the relationship with coworkers (28 percent); the feeling of being more productive and focused in the office (21 percent); aspects related to mental health (20 percent); concern with business results (15 percent); and the physical structure offered by companies (11 percent).

On the other hand, the aspects contributing to the desired permanence in the home office system are the fear of contracting the coronavirus (18 percent); the possibility of avoiding travel (17 percent); greater productivity and focus at home (15 percent); time gain for private activities (15 percent); greater ease of managing household or family tasks (11 percent); relationship with the family (ten percent); and aspects related to mental health (12 percent).

For 64 percent of respondents, home office teams were able to keep deliveries up to date and with the same quality as when the work was performed in the office. And 46 percent consider that the quantity and quality of deliveries were improved after the adoption of the home office.

Regarding the integration and moments of relaxation undertaken by companies during the pandemic, 47 percent of respondents said that companies were concerned with providing activities in this regard, while 26 percent consider that the frequency was below expectations. Another 53 percent said that the company did not carry out any actions with such aim.

Source: Estadão Conteúdo