It’s safe to say that the corona crisis is a turning point in the number of employees who telecommute. While working from home used to be the exception rather than the rule, now about 3 out of 4 Belgians work from home. 6 out of 10 Belgians want to work from home at least 2 days a week, after the crisis.
Teleworking before the corona crisis
According to figures from the VIAS institute, 17 percent of Belgians teleworked in 2018, and in 2019 already 22 percent. 4 out of 10 teleworkers did this on average 1 day per week. 2 in 10 did it 2 days a week, and 1 in 3 only occasionally.
The favorite days to work from home were Wednesdays and Fridays. This is shown by figures from Attentia. Monday was less popular. In the summer months, more people worked from home, because of the opportunity it brings to take care of the children.
Teleworking after the crisis
Whereas before the corona crisis, 6 in 10 Belgians almost never worked from home, now 6 in 10 Belgians want to work from home at least 2 days a week, after the crisis. On average, 44 percent want to work from home for 2 days and 18 percent want to work more than two days. Barely 5 percent never want to work from home after the crisis. This appears from figures from the consultancy firm BDO and the HR network HR Square.
Benefits of teleworking
For 1 in 3 teleworkers, the biggest advantage is the time saved by not having to commute. 1 in 4 teleworkers consider the lack of stress and fatigue from not being in traffic the most important advantage. Distance to work is therefore an important factor for teleworking. Almost 1 in 2 Belgians who have to commute for more than an hour, work from home. The improved work-life balance is the main reason for working from home for 1 in 6 teleworkers.
Are teleworkers just lazy?
Criticasters are proven wrong, because most teleworkers experience a greater sense of responsibility and increased autonomy when they work from home. The flexibility in working hours also ensures better performance at home.
What do you need to work from home?
In addition to a laptop, of course you need a good internet connection. And it doesn’t have to be expensive. With VDSL XS from edpnet you already have a connection for 25.95 euros / month. It is fast enough for surfing and video calling, and it comes with unlimited traffic. So you really don't have to purchase an expensive bundle to work from home.
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