Half of UAE workers prefer to work from home, Avaya study finds

More than half (52 per cent) of UAE workers have felt happier over the past year as a result of working from home, according to a new study commissioned by Avaya.

The ‘Life and Work Beyond 2020’ study, conducted by research firm Davies Hickman Partners, found that workers in the UAE are among the fondest of work-from-anywhere models, with 64 per cent saying that the ability to conduct hybrid work – from a home or office – would contribute to their happiness. That compares to 40 per cent of respondents in Germany, 44 per cent in the UK, and 62 per cent in the United States who said the same thing.

The survey also revealed that UAE workers are the world’s best-equipped for remote working, with 64 per cent claiming that they have access to the technology necessary to work from anywhere – a higher number of respondents than seen in any other country. United States workers are second-best equipped with 62 per cent having access to the technology they need to work from anywhere, while in the UK that number was 55 per cent.

The study also revealed some of the biggest worries that UAE employees have about the future of work with 51 per cent saying that returning to the office full-time is their biggest worry. Meanwhile, 44 per cent identified being replaced by automation as their top concern.

Read: Workplace 2.0: How digital transformation will drive a hybrid era

Almost a quarter (24 per cent) said that they had experienced challenges as a result of the remote working model, while 25 per cent said that they do not have access to the technology they need to work remotely.

What’s more, many employees struggle with their working environments at home, with 47 per cent expressing a desire for a larger working space, and 33 per cent saying that working from home was not appropriate for family life.

“Our Life and Work Beyond 2020 study identifies the large-scale changes that are taking place in the world of work, as well as how these changes are perceived by employees,” said Nidal Abou-Ltaif, president, International, Avaya. “By understanding employees’ concerns about the workplace, both now and in the future, business leaders and government organisations can determine the best routes forward.”