Percentage of employees working remotely to stay elevated post-crisis – survey

Most U.S. companies expect that the percentage of full-time employees working remotely after the coronavirus pandemic will be triple what it was in 2019, a survey from Willis Towers Watson said.

Employers reported that 53% of full-time employees currently are working remotely or from home. While that is expected to drop to 22% after the pandemic passes, it would still be up significantly from last year's 7%.

Survey respondents also said they expect two-thirds of their workforce to be full-time employees working in person or on-site post-COVID-19, up from 37% currently, but still below last year's 82%.

"Although the economy is still in upheaval, one thing is clear: Remote working is here to stay," said Adrienne Altman, North America head of work and rewards at Willis Towers Watson, in a news release.

"One of the many challenges facing employers is to what extent do they keep remote working policies in place and how do they support employees who make the shift permanent," Ms. Altman said. "Each employer will need to determine if this is a long-term strategy that is right for them."

The survey of 681 employers, which was conducted during the week of May 11, also found that 74% of respondents made adjustments to accommodate new post-pandemic protocols, such as offering services via video rather than in person and changing work schedules to limit employee contact.