How work has changed during the pandemic

In February of 2022, two years after COVID became the pandemic, more than 1000 US employees were surveyed by Qualtrics about how life has changed. Despite the devastation and tragedy many have suffered, workers generally have a positive outlook.

• 93% of employees say the way they work has "fundamentally and forever" changed. The changes they most want to keep are flexible schedules, fully remote work, and hybrid work (remote and in-person).
• 68% have grown closer to family members over the past two years.
• 89% of remote workers with children say their kids are happier when they are working from home.
• 95% of remote workers with pets say their pets are happier when they are working from home.

Amidst the uncertainties and tensions, workers feel they are better off than they were two years ago in certain ways:

• Coworker relationships - 48% have grown closer vs 31% have grown more distant
• Work-life balance - 43% are better off vs 18% worse off
• Overall happiness - 41% are better off vs 31% worse off
• Job satisfaction - 39% are better off vs 20% worse off
• Finances - 38% are better off vs 27% worse off
• Career progress - 36% are better off vs 17% worse off
• Mental health - 31% are better off vs 31% worse off

Nevertheless, many US workers have changed jobs during these past two years. 47% have changed jobs, including 15% who also changed industries. The top reasons employees gave for seeking a new job were:

• 30% moved, including 15% who moved to a different city, state, or country
• 16% wanted a more flexible schedule
• 14% wanted more growth opportunities
• 5% wanted to work remotely
• 5% wanted higher pay

The work itself has changed in the following ways:

• 69% of employees say they have been more productive in their work
• 65% say their workload has increased during the pandemic
• 54% say they are more effective working from home than from the office

Employees most want to lose (1) mask requirements, (2) social distancing, and (3) vaccine requirements. They also want to erase certain words from our vocabularies: (1) the new normal, (2) quarantine, (3) burnout, (4) social distance, (5) the great resignation, (6) remote work, (7) virtual happy hour, (8) you're on mute, (9) essential worker, and (10) unprecedented times.

Source: Qualtrics