FOR companies seeking industry and manual services workers, the pandemic has exacerbated the workforce shortage. According to a survey for more than 230 HR professionals by the Conference Board, 80% of companies report it is somewhat or very difficult to find qualified industry and manual services workers compared with 74% before the pandemic. Forty-nine percent of companies also said it was difficult to retain workers, compared with 30% before the pandemic.

DESPITE a majority of workers under 30 saying remote work made them more productive, nearly 60% of workers ages 21 to 30 said working in a modern, collegiate office environment has become more important to them over the past year, according to a survey of 6,000 workers worldwide by Sharp Corp., Japanese multinational electronics manufacturer. More than half of workers said they feel anxious about a lack of training and career opportunities when thinking long term about the future of work.

MANAGERS are the current change agents, according to a survey by HR technology firm Hibob. Two-thirds of respondents feel their managers have taken on a more active role in developing culture and protecting well-being since the start of the pandemic. Almost half of respondents indicated their team lead has been most helpful in transitioning to a remote or hybrid environment, compared to coworkers and HR teams.

GIVEN the choice, 54% of employee respondents want flexibility in when and where they work, according to a survey of more than 16,000 employees across 16 countries. The ‘2021 Work Reimagined Employee Survey’ revealed, on average, employees would want to work between two and three days remotely and 33% of employees want a shorter work week altogether.

WORK life balance is now the standout reason candidates will be attracted to a potential new employer, according to a survey of nearly 2,000 workers by job search firm HRM. In the survey, 97% of respondents said a work life balance is influential in their decision on whether to engage with a new employer, and over half of respondents would like to commute less.