HBS Online Survey Shows Most Professionals Have Excelled While Working from Home

As the COVID-19 pandemic sent millions of Americans home this time last year, many professionals struggled to navigate work and household responsibilities. But a recent survey from Harvard Business School Online shows that working online did work. In fact, many professionals even experienced advancement and growth—both on the job and at home—this year.

“The past year has been difficult for everyone, but what’s surprising is how well people feel they’ve performed at work, while at home,” said HBS Online Executive Director Patrick Mullane. “Now, as we’re preparing to get back to ‘business as usual,’ it seems professionals don’t want ‘business as usual.’ Instead, they want flexibility from their employers to allow them to maintain the new work/home balance and productivity they have come to enjoy.”

HBS Online retained Cambridge, Mass.-based market research firm City Square Associates to survey nearly 1,500 professionals who worked remotely during the COVID-19 shutdown from March 2020 to March 2021. Respondents were asked to compare this past year to the prior one.

Despite the widespread hardships and heartbreaks of COVID-19, there is positive news. The HBS Online survey revealed that respondents experienced professional and personal wins, along with embracing many healthy—and even some unhealthy—habits.

“Many of us have Zoom fatigue,” said HBS Online’s Managing Director of Product Management Simeen Mohsen. “Yet, despite not being in the office, many professionals still performed well and were even able to grow in their careers. They somehow rose to the occasion and gave it their all, both as individuals and as teams.”

What the Future of Remote Work Could Mean for Businesses

The survey showed that many professionals miss their colleagues and other aspects of being in the office, and some want to go back. But since they proved they were able to perform, and even excel, during the pandemic, they want more flexibility.

Professionals Miss Their Colleagues But Want Flexibility

• 81% either don’t want to go back to the office or would prefer a hybrid schedule going forward
• 27% hope to work remotely full-time
• 61% would like to work 2-3 days a week from home
• 18% want to go back to the office full-time
• Parents with kids at home want to go back full-time more than those without children
• Married people also want to go back full-time more than singles
• On the other hand, people from the Northeast are more likely to want to stay remote

Employees' Conditions for Going Back

• 51% are uncomfortable going back to the office until they’re fully vaccinated
• 71% are hesitant to go back until everyone is fully vaccinated
• 54% expect social distancing—everyone is seated at least 6 feet apart and required to wear masks

Other Survey Highlights

Here are additional insights from the survey, including how professionals excelled, the habits they've developed during the pandemic, and tips for business leaders on how to support employees' new, desired lifestyles.

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