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MANILA, Philippines — Hybrid, remote, or full time — which of these work modes bring better productivity and greater happiness?
As employment setups shifted after the COVID-19 lockdowns, many have awakened to the importance of having the so-called work-life balance, or spending some “me time” at home as much as being in the workplace.
The online recruitment platform JobStreet found that the majority of Filipinos now prefer hybrid or remote work setups, highlighting what today’s job seekers are looking for and what employers should consider when looking for talents.
“Filipinos are more interested in not going back to the office at all than the global average. When it comes to working time, they are in line with global results, preferring a traditional 5-day workweek,” Jobstreet said in its “Future of Recruitment Report” that surveyed 90,547 respondents in 160 countries in 2022. Of the respondents, 11,438 are from the Philippines.
The report noted that 46 percent of the Filipinos polled prefer a hybrid model, or combination of working at home and reporting to the office during the workweek.
Twenty-eight percent favor remote work.
The global average of people who want to work remotely is at 11 percent, more than twofold the Philippine average.
Reconfiguring life
Peter Bithos, chief executive officer of the Asia division of Jobstreet’s parent company SEEK, offers an explanation to these trends.
“These last few years have been a wake-up call to many. Today, we are knee-deep in the era of ‘The Great Reconfiguration’ as employees are reconfiguring their work and personal lives, prioritizing the latter with greater demand for work-life balance and flexibility,” Bithos said in a statement.
“Meanwhile, employers are increasingly looking for different skills, with a continued focus on digital and technology skills. Employers that want to attract great talent with the skills that their businesses require must cater to these changing needs,” he added.
The SEEK Asia executive added that employers must cater to these changing needs if they want to attract great talent with the skills that their businesses require.
Five days a week
But apart from those who prefer hybrid and remote arrangements, the majority of Filipinos also prefer having a five-day workweek, with 75 percent favoring this over doing part-time work or having a full, seven-day workweek.
Another key finding: 53 percent of Filipino job seekers would like to know the salary range that awaits them as early as possible in the recruitment process.
“Indicating a salary range is the number one feature that matters to people in a good job ad,’’ the Jobstreet report said. “If included, this is the first piece of information candidates will look at.”