COVID-19 has had a positive impact on work practices in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) overall, and a large percentage of professionals across various sectors hope to continue working remotely, at least to some extent, when the ongoing pandemic has reached its conclusion. A new study conducted by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Bayt.com has shed light on worker preferences in the post-pandemic landscape, with 89 percent of people insisting they would like to work completely virtually or see remote and on-site working come together – aligning with the 89% global average. The joint report, 'Decoding Global Ways of Working,' assesses the pandemic's impact on worker preferences and expectations, with the findings based on the inputs of 1,185 people nationwide. "Of course, we are all aware of the sudden changes that workforces had to adjust and adapt to at the outset of the pandemic, with business continuity hinging on success in this direction," said Dr. Christopher Daniel, managing director and partner, BCG Middle East. "However, it was unknown precisely how effective digital transformation would be and how well adjusted employees would become in the new era of virtual workspaces and digital-based activities. "With a large majority indicating their hopes for remote working to remain, this illustrates their high satisfaction with the newfound flexibility and efficiency they have benefited from. Furthermore, other insights have also shed light on professional attitudes in the Kingdom." In terms of remote working during the crisis, Saudi Arabia is below the global average. Driven by the early restart of businesses and the majority of jobs being in the service, industrial, and retail sectors, 30 percent of respondents said they are working in some form of remote arrangement compared to the 51% worldwide. In addition to the work models people wish for in the future landscape, it has also been found the Saudi workforce is somewhat more open to not returning to the office. Considering the country's high readiness for digital capabilities to enable remote work, 38 percent indicated they would prefer to work at home on a full-time basis compared to the 24% at the global level. "From a KSA standpoint, the pandemic has had a positive impact on work practices and processes," continued Dr. Daniel. "Respondents did not experience any notable difficulties in terms of maintaining their well-being and most adapted well to virtual settings. As such, many are hopeful that the temporary changes of recent times become permanent due to the positive outcomes they have helped to deliver." The report by BCG and Bayt.com also casts a clear picture of other work-related preferences, with values people look for in their line of work changing somewhat in Saudi Arabia since 2018. Good relationships with colleagues, career development opportunities, and job security are now considered three topmost priorities, changing from training to learn new things and develop skillsets, job security, and robust relations with management in 2018. Furthermore, appreciation for work and financial compensation have become more important to workers in recent years, with work-life balance and training opportunities becoming lesser priorities. At the same time, more respondents said that diversity and inclusion have become more important to them over the past year, which is driven by a major focus on diversity and female participation in the Saudi workforce. Of the respondents, 70 percent of young people and 75 percent of people overall confirmed that diversity and inclusion are issues that now impact their job preferences, higher than the 68.7 percent globally. When asked the question of if they would refuse a role that does not align with their personal beliefs in this area, 43 percent of young people and 51 percent overall said they would do so, almost aligning with the 51.4 percent global average. In terms of environmental responsibility, 68 percent said related issues have become more important over the last year, echoing the Saudi leadership's drive to prioritize sustainability as part of Vision 2030. This figure is marginally lower than the 69.6 percent globally, while 53 percent said they would exclude companies that do not match their environmental sustainability beliefs, slightly higher than the 51.7 percent average worldwide. "Across the Kingdom, workforces want the remote working flexibility of recent times to remain even after the country completely re-emerges from the pandemic. "Furthermore, it is equally clear that issues driving work-related preferences and personal perspectives regarding diversity and the environment are both highly likely to impact the professional direction that people take in due course," added Dr. Daniel. "As employers look ahead to future, these insights can help them to make decisions based on employee expectations and what motivates them." — SG
