Employees Are Less Career-Focused than Before Pandemic
Not only has the COVID-19 pandemic changed where and how people do their jobs, it's changed the way people feel about work, and whether they're as focused on their careers. At least that's what a survey from insurance company Aviva has found.
The survey included 2,000 employees in the UK and was done three times: in February and August 2020, and again in March 2021.
In March 2021, almost half of employees said they had become less career-focused because of the pandemic. Only about a third of employees felt this way in August 2020.
More than 20% said the pandemic has had a negative impact on how they feel about their job. The surveys found that more people are now checking their emails after working hours and neglecting their mental and physical health because of work.
More than half feel like the boundaries between work and home are becoming more and more blurred, 44% feel like they can never switch off from work, and 40% are worried about burnout.
The pandemic has also changed what people want from their next job. Almost 70% of employees said that flexible work will play a more important part in their future career choices.
However, they disagree on how often they'd like to be in the office. Only 14% say they're most productive when working from an office full-time, while 15% say they're most productive when working full-time at home. Most people say they work best with two or three days a week in the office and two or three days at home.
Debbie Bullock of Aviva told the BBC that the pandemic has "given people pause for thought about where work fits into their lives."
