As companies continue pushing for employees to return to the office, a new survey reveals surprising insights about remote work habits. In the U.S., 32% of remote workers admit to secretly working while on vacation without their managers’ knowledge.
This finding strengthens the case for employers advocating for office returns, citing increased accountability and oversight. Despite strong resistance from employees and companies like Amazon, the survey results highlight why some businesses remain committed to bringing workers back to the office. Recent return-to-office mandates have yielded mixed results in countries like India and the United States.
In the US, tech giants like Microsoft, Apple, and SpaceX have experienced a notable outflow of senior-level employees, according to a research paper from the University of Michigan, University of Chicago, and Ipsos Public Affairs.
Following Amazon CEO Andy Jassy’s mandate for corporate employees to return to the office, workers have threatened to “soft quit.” Additionally, a recent PR agency Reboot Online survey found that online searches for “legal right to work from home” among UK Amazon workers have surged in the past week.
Despite widespread opposition and controversy surrounding return-to-office policies, many companies remain committed to returning workers to the workplace. While individual companies may have varying reasons for this decision, a new survey provides a compelling argument in favour of implementing such a policy.
How Remote Workers Spend Their Time
Remote and hybrid workers often tout their productivity, claiming they are free from office distractions and time-consuming commutes. However, a new survey sheds light on how remote workers actually spend their time. Spoiler alert: It’s not always focused on white papers and PowerPoint presentations.
While office workers might waste time messaging friends or scrolling through TikTok, remote workers often use their distance from management to tackle personal tasks or simply goof off.
According to a SurveyMonkey poll of 3,117 full-time U.S. workers, nearly half of remote workers multitask during work calls or complete household chores like unloading the dishwasher or doing laundry.
Nearly one-third of remote workers leverage the flexibility of remote work to accomplish personal tasks, such as grocery shopping or picking up dry cleaning. Additionally, one in five remote workers have also admitted to napping during work hours.
A significant number of remote workers, approximately 17 percent, admitted to working from a different location without informing anyone or engaging in activities such as watching TV or playing video games. Additionally, a smaller percentage, 4 percent, confessed to working another job while employed remotely.
From Naps To Online Shopping
Multitasking during Zoom calls is a prevalent practice among remote and hybrid workers. one-third admitted to using the bathroom during calls. At the same time, 21 percent said they engaged in activities such as browsing social media, 14 percent indulged in online shopping, 12 percent did laundry and 9 percent utilised the time by cleaning the kitchen.
In a surprising revelation, four percent of remote workers admitted to falling asleep during Zoom calls, while three percent confessed to showering. “Employees are making their own rules to accommodate the demands of high-pressure work environments,” said Wendy Smith, senior manager of research science at SurveyMonkey.
“One thing we uncovered was that what you might consider ‘off-the-books behavior’ is widespread,” Smith added. Even managers and executives are guilty of multitasking during work calls. Over half of the managers and 49 percent of executives admit to doing so, according to Smith.
In response to question, “have you ever browsed social media while on a video or conference call at work,” managers, executives, and individual contributors reported similar rates: 22 percent, 20 percent, and 21 percent, respectively.
However, managers and executives were more likely to shop online during work calls than individual contributors, with 16 percent and 14 percent, respectively, compared to 12 percent of individual contributors. Generational differences in work habits are evident:
- 26 percent of millennials admitted to taking a nap during the workday, compared to 16 percent of Gen X.
- 18 percent of Gen Z have worked another job, while only 2 percent of Gen X and 1 percent of Boomers have.
- 31 percent of Gen Z have worked from a different location without informing anyone, compared to 16 percent of Gen X.
While companies push for a return to the office, remote workers continue to maximize the flexibility of their work arrangements. This highlights the ongoing tension between employers’ desire for in-person collaboration and employees’ preference for remote work.
