Announcement of MS 2022 business trend index
53% of employees ranked well-being as the top priority
Meetings increased by 252%, and overtime and weekend work increased
Work flexibility and well-being are essential photos of synergy = Image Today
[Seoul Economy]
As the non-face-to-face work system expands due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the working hours of employees continue to increase. In particular, it is analyzed that overtime work such as overtime work and weekend work have increased, going against the trend that emphasizes work-life balance.
Microsoft released the ‘2022 Business Trend Index’ on the 16th and released the survey results. 31,000 people from 31 countries around the world, including Korea, participated in this survey.
First, 53% of respondents ranked their health and well-being as their priority over work. 18% said that they left the company because their work-life balance was not right. Among the MZ generation, 52% were counted as considering a new job. Microsoft said, “Employees showed a tendency to prioritize personal goals and work-life balance. This trend is expected to accelerate a new major change.”
According to the 2022 work trend index released by Microsoft, non-face-to-face meetings, chatting, overtime work and weekend work have been increasing since April 2020.
Respondents also emphasized the need to set new standards for working hours for a sustainable hybrid work system. According to productivity trends for MS 365, overtime hours have increased proportionally due to increased non-face-to-face meetings and chatting. Since March 2020, when the coronavirus began in earnest, the time spent on meetings by users of the collaboration platform Teams increased by 252% as of February this year, overtime work increased by 28%, and weekend work increased by 14%.
Microsoft advises that the office role also needs to be rethought. Thirty-eight percent of hybrid workers wonder why and when they need to go to the office, but only 28 percent of leaders have suggested improving their team. Additionally, 43% of remote workers dont feel a sense of belonging to a meeting, while only 27% of leaders have a hybrid meeting etiquette for everyone to attend. Microsoft emphasized, “Now is the time for a new cultural norm for an office optimized for hybrid work,” and emphasized, “This is an important factor that drives employees sense of belonging and innovation.”
Microsoft also sees the role of managers as understanding and reflecting employees expectations. However, 50% of leaders surveyed said they plan to return to the office this year, while 74% said they do not have the authority to make changes to their teams. In response, Microsoft explained, “If a company gives managers more power to lead a team, it can achieve results for team harmony.”
Gerard Spataro, Corporate Vice President, Modern Work, Microsoft, said, “In a hybrid work environment that has been established by the prolonged pandemic, employees see work flexibility and well-being as the most essential elements. We believe that the hybrid work environment built below will open up possibilities for better performance for everyone.”
