The research follows the model of the 2020 report (which had surveyed 8,000 people across eight countries: Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States), focusing on the outlook for 2021, and expanding the scope of the survey by involving 25 countries and 14,000 respondents worldwide.  

Key points of the research are the following:

• Hybrid work is here to stay, but flexibility is key

Globally, a large proportion of workers (53%) want a hybrid model where, at least half of the time, work is done remotely. Hybrid and remote work do not necessarily lead to a loss of productivity, a more flexible and inclusive way of working is possible. More than three-quarters of workers would like to maintain this flexibility in the future.

• Productivity and results orientation

The research shows that the workday has often lengthened, by as much as 14%, in the past year, and more than half of workers (57%) could complete the same tasks in less than 40 hours per week. As a result, workers and leaders are demanding to be evaluated based on outcomes rather than hours worked, a trend that was already strong in 2020.

• Mental health: a rapidly emerging problem

Research reveals that more than half of young leaders (54%) suffer from burnout, and three out of ten workers say their mental and physical health has deteriorated in the past 12 months. Companies need to figure out how to support and foster their employees' well-being within the new hybrid work model.

• The leadership deficit

Satisfaction with leadership roles is low: only half of workers say managers have met or exceeded expectations by encouraging a good work culture (48%) or helping to support work-life balance (50%). This perception is particularly strong in Western Europe and Japan.

• Mass exodus unlikely and companies begin to rehire

Finally, nearly half of respondents are dissatisfied with career prospects at their company, but the expected "mass resignations" are not yet occurring. In addition, three-thirds of workers are confident that companies will start hiring in a meaningful way again, prioritizing safety, culture, well-being, and employee development - the most important aspects of working for the future.

The results, providing insights into working practices, behaviours, and attitudes, will help organisations to evolve and adapt as we look forward to a post-pandemic world and new ways of working.

Alain Dehaze, Global CEO of the Adecco Group, said, "It is becoming more and more evident that we will no longer return to the office in the previous ways and that the future of work is flexible. Pandemic has accelerated existing trends to the point where they cannot be ignored, and future success depends on how workers and leaders can adapt and respond to them."