Americans Feel More Confident at Work Since Transitioning to Remote Setting, Survey Says

Americans who transitioned to working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic say they feel more comfortable asking for flexible working hours and mental/physical wellness support

Photo: SWNS

Working from the comfort of your couch may actually boost your confidence — seven in 10 Americans said they've become more confident since working remotely, new research suggests.

In a recent survey of 2,000 Americans who've worked remotely during the pandemic, seven in 10 said they find it easier to request more paid time off from their employer, and 67% feel more comfortable asking for flexible working hours and mental/physical wellness support.

That personal confidence is also in line with respondents' views of their employer.

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Velocity Global, the survey also revealed that 73% have a newfound appreciation for their current job/company.

The comforts of working from home seem to have done the trick — people cited being able to email/instant message instead of talking (53%), wear comfortable clothing (52%) and search on Google without being seen (45%) as the top confidence boosters.

And nearly two-thirds said they've become more confident asking bolder questions if they were to interview for a new job.

Another thing people have come to appreciate? The time they're saving by not commuting.

The average employee has saved 252 hours in the past two years by not traveling to work every day.

Eight in 10 said this has allowed them to accomplish a lot more in a given day.

People have used this extra time to exercise (43%), get more chores done (41%) and learn new skills such as making videos (37%). And nearly half said they're now more confident when cooking/baking (48%).

Remote work has also allowed many to strengthen their relationships with family/friends (52%), become more at ease when it comes to meeting new people (49%) and achieve a wellness goal such as losing/gaining weight (46%).

More than a quarter have even seen a New Year's resolution through to completion.

When asked about the greatest goal they've been able to accomplish while working remotely, people cited taking the time to improve their mental and physical health along with accomplishing career-related goals, such as "being my own boss" and "learning how to invest in the collectibles market."

Remote work has also inspired many respondents to up the ante in their employment standards — two-thirds said they would now be less tolerant of an unsatisfying job than they were two years ago.

In particular, respondents are less willing to put up with a toxic work environment (55%), "burnout" culture (47%), a low salary (46%) and lack of growth opportunities (42%).

And 65% said they feel fulfilled in their career for the first time in their life.