Work From Anywhere

Expenses, Hybrid Models and Burnout: How COVID-19 Changed the Workplace

It has been over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic was first identified in the U.S. We didn’t know it then but the pandemic would change the course of our day-to-day lives. Commuting has become a thing of the past, homes and apartments now double as offices and the future of work is no longer a hypothetical — it’s here.

We decided to partner with Blind, the anonymous community app for the workplace, to get a glimpse of how companies have adjusted to these unprecedented circumstances and how employees feel about the new challenges they’ve been faced with.

Companies Need Work-From-Home Expense Policies

The first poll we conducted early on unpacked how work perks and expense policies were being handled in the remote work era. One of the more interesting findings was that 52% of employees stated that their company does not currently have a WFH expense policy. It’s so easy for confusion to arise without a policy that clearly communicates what stipend is provided for home office setups, if any.

Meanwhile, 76% of employees whose employers do have a WFH expense policy agree that it’s a necessary benefit.

Work From Anywhere is Here

As the return to an office setting continues to get delayed, the second poll took a closer look at if employees would even want to return to the office. Unsurprisingly, the survey found that 64% of respondents believe a hybrid work model would increase workplace happiness. Additionally, to meet the needs of this new work environment, employees would like to see a shift in work perk offerings, such as comping remote employees for expenses like electricity and internet services.

Employee Burnout is Real

While permanent remote work, or a serious hybrid model, would increase employee happiness, there is no denying that added workloads and less in-person interactions have caused a spike in employee burnout. The third and final poll found that 61% of employees have felt burnt out within the last year. Among those respondents, 84% don’t think their company is taking the necessary steps to address the issue and 83% feel companies should allow employees to expense mental health and fitness subscriptions as a way of combating burnout.

Changes are Still Ahead

All in all, this three-part poll series further proved that employee needs have significantly shifted over the past year. In order to support employees as they navigate through the unique challenges remote work presents, companies must alter their current internal systems and policies.

To learn about other rising trends in the workplace and to get a pulse of the issues that matter to employees across the country, be sure to pay a visit to our friends over at https://www.teamblind.com/. If you’re ready to learn more about how TravelBank can help with your organization’s expenses and corporate card management needs, visit https://travelbank.com/products/all-in-one/.